Information exchanging apparatus

ABSTRACT

An information exchanging apparatus capable of exchanging information with a plurality of outside apparatuses has: a first wireless communicator including a telephone transmitter and telephone receiver for wireless telephone communication with one of the outside apparatuses; a second wireless communicator other than the first wireless communicator; a transmitter arranged to transmit original information to the plurality of outside apparatuses through the second wireless communicator; a processor arranged to process response information from the plurality of outside apparatuses to be received through the second wireless communicator in response to the original information; and a distributor arranged to distribute result information from the processor to the plurality of outside apparatuses through the second wireless communicator.

This application is based on the following Japanese Patent Applications,the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference:

-   -   (1) Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-119252 (filed on Apr.        27, 2007)    -   (2) Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-124218 (filed on May 9,        2007)    -   (3) Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-125753 (filed on May        10, 2007)    -   (4) Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-128289 (filed on May        14, 2007)    -   (5) Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-130613 (filed on May        16, 2007)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information exchanging apparatusutilizing wireless communication.

2. Description of Related Art

Cellular phones are one of typical information exchanging apparatusesutilizing wireless communication. Various proposals have been made touse cellular phones for the purposes of conducting information exchangeother than voice communication. For example, JP-A-2001-282983(hereinafter Patent Document 1) or JP-A-2002-49736 (hereinafter PatentDocument 2) propose market research systems employing cellular phones.On the other hand, JP-A-2004-23681 (hereinafter Patent Document 3)proposes a virtual haiku gathering system employing cellular phones.

employing cellular phones.

Inconveniently, however, with conventional information exchangingapparatuses, because of charges for the use of cellular phone networks,such functions have not yet become common as functions that can beeasily used like those, such as games, executed within cellular phonesthemselves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention toprovide an information exchanging apparatus that permits easierinformation exchange; another object of the invention is to provide aninformation exchanging apparatus that permits easy coordination among acomparatively large number of people.

To achieve the above object, according to the invention, an informationexchanging apparatus capable of exchanging information with a pluralityof outside apparatuses is provided with: a first wireless communicatorincluding a telephone transmitter and telephone receiver for wirelesstelephone communication with one of the outside apparatuses; a secondwireless communicator other than the first wireless communicator; atransmitter arranged to transmit original information to the pluralityof outside apparatuses through the second wireless communicator; aprocessor arranged to process response information from the plurality ofoutside apparatuses to be received through the second wirelesscommunicator in response to the original information; and a distributorarranged to distribute result information from the processor to theplurality of outside apparatuses through the second wirelesscommunicator.

Other features, elements, steps, advantages and characteristics of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing, as a first embodiment, a game systemembodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exterior front view of the first cellular phone, designedas a foldable type, in its unfolded state;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a screen displayed in a game according to asecond embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a screen displayed in a game according to athird embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the first controller 10for starting a game;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gameparticipation in step S28 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gameproposal in step S30 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for a100-people game in step S53 in FIG. 6 and in step S103 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for areal-time display game in step S112 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for arequirement display game in step S111 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing fororiginal game proposal in step S92 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for anordinary game in step S36 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for awide-area game in step S109 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gamedata updating in step S26 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gamedata reception/registration in steps S250 and S256 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the details of the statistic processingin step S120 in FIGS. 9, 10, and 12.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing fortransmission of initial information to every participant in step S114 inFIGS. 9, 10, and 12;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing forstatistic result display in step S123 and S144 in FIGS. 9, 10, and 12;and

FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing the details of part of the processing inFIGS. 7 and 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing, as a first embodiment, a game systemembodying the invention. This embodiment is built as a cellularphone-based system, which includes a first cellular phone 2, a secondcellular phone 4, a third cellular phone 6, and a fourth cellular phone8. These are basically similarly configured. Although only four cellularphones are shown in FIG. 1, this is for the sake of simplicity: thisembodiment is built as a system presupposing a large number of cellularphones, and assumes a system involving about 100 similarly configuredcellular phones located within a short-distance communication range.

The first cellular phone 2 has a first control portion 10 comprising acomputer controlling the entire cellular phone, and, according to how afirst manipulation portion 12 is operated, the first control portion 10controls a first telephone function portion 14 etc. The functions of thefirst control portion 10 are executed by software stored in a storageportion 16. The storage portion 16 also temporarily stores various kindsof data needed to control the entire first cellular phone 2. The firstcontrol portion 10 also controls a first display portion 18 to provideGUI (graphical user interface) display coordinated with how the firstmanipulation portion 12 is operated, and to display control results.

Utilizing a GPS (global positioning system) system, a GPS portion 20acquires, as absolute position information of the first cellular phone2, latitude-longitude-altitude information from a satellite or a nearbybroadcast station, and feeds it to the first control portion 10. Underthe control of the first control portion 10, the absolute positioninformation is, along with a map, displayed on the first display portion18, and is thereby presented as navigation information.

A first game storage portion 22 stores data related to games executableon the first cellular phone 2. The data related to these games arestandardized, and the data of different games are uniquely identifiableby their IDs. As will be described in detail later, the games stored inthe first game storage portion 22 include not only ones that are enjoyedon the first cellular phone 2 alone but also ones that are enjoyed incoordination with many other cellular phones such as the second cellularphone 4. Incidentally, the first game storage portion 22 stores not onlydata related to games for amusement but also, as will be described indetail later, data for conducting public opinion surveys, informationexchanges, etc. In the following description, games as well asactivities like public opinion surveys and information exchanges arecollectively dealt with as “games”; wherever necessary, they will bediscussed separately in the categories of “games”, “public opinionsurveys”, “information exchanges”, etc. in their narrow senses.Accordingly, unless otherwise stated, the term “games” used in its broadsense is to be understood to cover not only “games” in its narrow sensebut also “public opinion surveys”, “information exchanges”, etc, and anydescription related to “games” is to be understood to apply equally toall the categories.

By the operation of the first telephone function portion 14 and a firsttelephone communication portion 24, the first cellular phone 2 canconduct wireless communication including ordinary voice communicationacross a telephone network. Also provided with a first short-distancecommunication portion 26 utilizing a wireless LAN (local area network)or the like, the first cellular phone 2 can conduct wirelesscommunication with another cellular phone or the like located within ashort-distance communication range.

The first short-distance communication portion 26 complies with astandard exempt from regulation by law; it operates only within alimited communication range but does not incur charges as across atelephone network.

The first short-distance communication portion 26 can exchange data forgames that will be described later; in addition, the firstshort-distance communication portion 26 can transmit absolute positioninformation acquired by the GPS portion 20 to another cellular phone,and can receive absolute position information acquired by the GPSportion of another cellular phone. Thus, on the first display portion18, not only the owner's position but also the position of the personcarrying another cellular phone can be displayed on a single map,permitting confirmation of the two persons' positions relative to eachother. This is discussed in detail in, for example, Japanese PatentApplication filed as No. 2007-28393.

The first cellular phone 2 further has a camera portion 28; images shotwith it can be stored in the storage portion 16, or transmitted toanother cellular phone by the operation of the first telephonecommunication portion 24.

As already mentioned, the second cellular phone 4, the third cellularphone 6, and the fourth cellular phone 8 are configured similarly to thefirst cellular phone 2. Accordingly, no more reference signs than arenecessary are shown in FIG. 1, and no overlapping explanations will berepeated unless necessary. Moreover, in FIG. 1, the GPS portions, thestorage portions, and the camera portions of the second cellular phone4, the third cellular phone 6, and the fourth cellular phone 8 areomitted from illustration.

Next, the coordination between the first cellular phone 2 and anothercellular phone will be described. Although the description centersaround the first cellular phone, any other cellular phone such as thesecond cellular phone 4 may instead assume a functionally central rolein a similar manner.

In FIG. 1, the first cellular phone 2 is conducting ordinary telephonecommunication with, for example, the second cellular phone 4, with thefirst telephone communication portion 24 conducting wirelesscommunication with a second telephone communication portion 30. Althoughthese are shown as if communicating directly with each other in FIG. 1,in reality, since, as is well known, cellular phones conductinfrastructure communication across a communications network, the firsttelephone communication portion 24 and the second telephonecommunication portion 30 communicate with each other across a telephonenetwork via base stations.

On the other hand, in FIG. 1, the first cellular phone 2 is conductingad hoc communication with, for example, the third cellular phone 6 andthe fourth cellular phone 8, with the first short-distance communicationportion 26 communicating directly with a third short-distancecommunication portion 32, and the first short-distance communicationportion 26 communicating also directly with a fourth short-distancecommunication portion 34. As already mentioned, the first short-distancecommunication portion 26 can communicate directly with theshort-distance communication portion of yet another cellular phone andso forth, and can transmit identical information to, for example, alarge number of cellular phones located within the short-distancecommunication range of the first cellular phone 2. In terms ofreception, the first short-distance communication portion 26 can receiveinformation from different cellular phones individually on afirst-access-first-served basis or by time zone allocation.

Naturally, by originating a phone call to the third cellular phone 6 orthe fourth cellular phone 8, the first telephone communication portion24 of the first cellular phone 2 can connect with a third or fourthtelephone communication portion for wireless telephony. On the otherhand, while conducting transmission to the short-distance communicationportions of the third cellular phone 6 and the fourth cellular phone 8,the first short-distance communication portion 26 can simultaneouslytransmit information to a second short-distance communication portion ofthe second cellular phone 4, and also receive information from thesecond short-distance communication portion individually.

The foregoing has discussed the relationship of one cellular phone withother cellular phones, taking up the functions of the first cellularphone 2 as an example; needless to say, any one of the second cellularphone 4, the third cellular phone 6, and the fourth cellular phone 8 canfunction similarly.

Functioning as described above, the first cellular phone 2, the secondcellular phone 4, the third cellular phone 6, and the fourth cellularphone 8 can conduct ordinary telephone communication between any two ofthem by the operation of their telephone communication portions, and canenjoy, by the function of their short-distance communication portions, agroup game through coordination of a large number of cellular phones;they can even conduct a public opinion survey or the like throughcoordination of a large number of cellular phones.

FIG. 2 is an exterior front view of the first cellular phone 2, designedas a foldable type, in its unfolded state. FIG. 2 shows an outline ofits construction along with an example of the game displayed on thefirst display portion 18, which comprises an LCD (liquid crystaldisplay). The first cellular phone 2 can conduct ordinary telephonecommunication by the operation of a power key 52, a talk key 54, amicrophone 56, and an earphone (speaker) 58; it also permits videotelephony with the owner's face shot with the camera portion 28.

The first manipulation portion 12 achieves a GUI by permitting the ownerto make operations on what is displayed on the first display portion 18mainly with numerical keys 60 and cross-shaped keys 62. A menu key 64 isoperated to call menus for the GUI.

In FIG. 2, on the first display portion 18, a questionnaire game isshown that is being conducted through coordination of the cellularphones of, for example, 100 people. In the query area 64, the query “Areyou a dog lover, or a cat lover?” is being displayed as the third amonga series of queries. In response to the query, the owner of the firstcellular phone 2 has checked the check box for “dog lover” by operatingthe first manipulation portion 12. Such a query can be transmitted fromany of the 100 cellular phones participating in the game to any other bythe operation of their short-distance communication portions; thedescription here, however, proceeds on the assumption that the firstcellular phone 2 has transmitted it. In the following description, theaction of someone transmitting a game from the short-distancecommunication portion of his cellular phone to another cellular phone inthis way will be referred to as “proposal” of the game, and the actionof someone participating in the game in response will be referred to as“participation” in the game; the one who has transmitted the game willbe refereed to as its “proponent”. Furthermore, in what follows, a gamethat presupposes participation of a large number of people as describedabove will be referred to as a “100-people game” representatively.

In response to the proposal from the first cellular phone 2, theparticipants individually transmit their answers, by the operation oftheir respective short-distance communication portions, to the firstcellular phone 2. In the summary area 66 on the first display portion18, the summary of the answers from all the participants is beingdisplayed. Information on the summary result is transmitted to everyparticipant. Accordingly, each participant can display, on the displayportion of his cellular phone, the same information as that beingdisplayed on the first display portion 18.

Incidentally, the mode of how data is displayed in the summary area 66can be switched between a “real-time display” mode and a “conditionaldisplay” mode. In the “real-time display” mode, the answers collectedprogressively from the participants are summarized constantly on areal-time basis at one in-progress stage after another so as to betransmitted to each participant on a real-time basis. This keeps eachparticipant informed of the trend of other participants, in light ofwhich he can decide his answer. This is suitable, for example, in casesof popularity voting.

On the other hand, in the “conditional display” mode, when a certaincondition is fulfilled (for example, when the number of answerscollected has reached half the total number of participants, or when,for example, one of the numbers of “cat lovers” and “dog lovers” hasexceeded one-half of the other, or every time a predetermined length oftime passes), summarizing is performed and the result is transmitted;that is, unless a certain condition is fulfilled, no in-progress reportsare offered. This is suitable, for example, in cases where a participantprefers to decide his answer in light of the trend of other participantsas guessed from limited information. In a case where the “conditionaldisplay” mode is chosen, the summary chart of “dog lovers” and “catlovers” in the summary area 66 is not updated unless a certain conditionis fulfilled, and instead the display made when the condition wasfulfilled previously is retained as it is. Alternatively, in a casewhere the “conditional display” mode is chosen, the summary chart of“dog lovers” and “cat lovers” in the summary area 66 is only displayedfor a predetermined length of time when a certain condition isfulfilled, and for the rest of time only the number of answers collectedis displayed.

Which of these display modes to choose matters little in a case wherequeries dealt with are simply for a questionnaire; however, in a case ofa game adopting tournament-type rules in which whoever turns out to havevoted for the minority in the final summary of one query wins and isentitled to proceed to the next, it adds to the pleasure of the game tobe permitted a choice of whether to monitor the trend of otherparticipants on a real-time basis or guess it in light of informationoffered at turning points. If the rules are additionally such that aparticipant is permitted to change his answer as many times as he likesat any time before a deadline, which display mode to choose greatlyaffects the pleasure of the game.

For example, when “cat lovers” are the minority in an interim summary,if a participant wants to win the game, he has only to switch from a“dog lover” to a “cat lover”; however, since other participants thinkthe same way, in the next summary, “cat lovers” may turn out to be themajority. Guessing the trend of other participants in this way resemblespredicting stock prices, and the pleasure of the game greatly variesdepending on whether one is permitted to monitor the trend of otherparticipants on a real-time basis or is obliged to guess it in light ofin-progress reports offered at turning points.

As something intermediary between the above two modes, the “real-timedisplay” mode may be so modified that the summary is displayed with apredetermined delay, so that the game is so adapted that information isoffered with intentional delay.

Incidentally, one can not only participate in a game as a player sendinghis answer but also “participate as a monitor” simply monitoring thesummary as a bystander. In that case, depending on the degree ofpleasure the monitor likes to have, he can freely switch between the“real-time display” mode and the “conditional display” mode. On theother hand, if one “participates as a player”, which mode to adopt isunified among all players so that they play under the same conditions,because the degree to which each is permitted to grasp the trend ofothers affects whether they change or do not change their answers.

FIG. 3 shows another example of the game displayed on the first displayportion 18, in a second embodiment of the invention (for the sake ofdiscussion, this type of game will be referred to tentatively as a“locality game”). In the second embodiment, one of the cellular phonesshown in FIG. 1 (for example, the fourth cellular phone 8) is installedstationarily in a sightseeing area or the like. In the second embodimentso configured, the main functions of the fourth cellular phone 8 are topropose exchanges of information on the sightseeing area to everyvisitor who has entered the short-distance communication range, toreceive information from any participant among all visitors, and topresent summary data etc.

The fourth cellular phone 8 may be manually operated by an administratorin the locality, and can be automated to propose information exchangesautomatically and constantly and to automatically conduct informationexchanges with participants. In that case, the fourth manipulationportion, the fourth display portion, the camera portion, etc., whichwould be provided in an ordinary cellular phone, may be omitted; theexterior shape does not need to be that of an ordinary cellular phone.The stationary installation also permits omission of the GPS portionetc.

FIG. 3 shows an example of what is displayed on the first displayportion 18 in the second embodiment configured as described above whenthe owner of the first cellular phone 2 visits the locality. In thequery area 72, a visitor property input column 74 is provided. If surethat there is no privacy risk, the visitor, by operating thecross-shaped keys 62 etc., checks, in the visitor property input column74, one of the check boxes for different residence zones, one of thecheck boxes for different sexes, and one of the check boxes fordifferent age groups. The data of these visitor properties is made useof mainly in the management of the sightseeing area. In the query area72, a popular spot voting column 76 is also provided, where the visitor,by operating the numerical keys 60 etc., inputs, out of sightseeing spotnumbers assigned on a map of the sightseeing area, the one assigned tothe sightseeing spot that the visitor has most liked.

In an information presentation area 78 on the first display portion 18,a map 80 of the sightseeing area is displayed, and different numbers 82are assigned to different sightseeing spots on the map 80. Theabove-mentioned input of a number in the popular spot voting column 76is done based on either the map 80 or the sightseeing spot numbers 82.In the example shown in FIG. 3, out of the sightseeing spot numbers “1”to “4”, “3” is selected and is inputted in the popular spot votingcolumn 76.

The popular spot numbers transmitted from participants are summarized inthe fourth cellular phone 8, and the result is indicated by showing thenumbers 82 of different popular spots in different sizes according tothe numbers of votes they have gained. In the example shown in FIG. 3,the popular spot numbered “2” has gained the largest number of votes,and thus its number is shown in the largest size; the popular spotnumbered “3” has gained the smallest number of votes, and thus itsnumber is shown in the smallest size.

In the information presentation area 78, prize winner numbers 84 arealso shown to indicate the result of a lottery conducted with the lowestthree digits of participant numbers, which are issued to participants,according to their IP addresses, who have cooperated by inputtinginformation in the query area. A participant with his participant numbermatching with any of the prize winner numbers 84 can, by operating acoupon claiming button 86, obtain an electronic coupon that can be usedin the sightseeing area.

Although not illustrated in FIG. 3, a participant can, if interested,receive the summary result of the visitor property data inputted in thequery area 72. The second embodiment described above deals with a simpleexample that involves, as game contents, presentation of sightseeinginformation etc. with the aim of collecting information needed forlocality administration and asking for visitors' cooperation in it.Contents may be so devised as to offer more game-like contents such aslocality quizzes and matches between people from different hometowns.

FIG. 4 shows yet another example of the game displayed on the firstdisplay portion 18, in a third embodiment of the invention. In the firstand second embodiments, only cellular phones located within thecommunication range of their short-distance communication portions areinvolved; by contrast, in the third embodiment, a wide-area server isadditionally involved. This permits the rules of communication amongshort-distance communication portions to be controlled in a unifiedmanner, and permits their summary results to be gathered together overthe Internet by the operation of telephone communication portions so asto be summarized on a larger scale. This makes it possible to conduct awide-area survey beyond the short-distance communication range (for thesake of discussion, a game involving a wide-area server like this willbe referred to tentatively as a “wide-area game”).

FIG. 4 shows an example of an on-the-street sampling survey on people'ssupporting political parties conducted with the third embodimentconfigured as described above. In the third embodiment, for example, thefirst cellular phone 2 is under the control of a wide-area server, andserves as a proponent by transmitting a proposal for a wide-area surveywithin the short-distance communication range. Specifically, the ownerof the first cellular phone 2 is a correspondent for a supportingpolitical party survey, who goes to, for example, a park or a railwaystation to conduct an on-the-street survey and “proposes a game” byasking people around him to cooperate in the on-the-street survey.

FIG. 4 shows the display made on the first display portion 18 of thefirst cellular phone 2 serving as the proponent; the same display ismade on the cellular phone of each participant, such as the secondcellular phone 4. In a query area 92 on the display portion, supportingpolitical party check boxes 94 and a survey participant property inputcolumn 96 are provided. A survey participant, by operating thecross-shaped keys 62 etc., checks one of the supporting political partycheck boxes 94 and, if sure that there is no privacy risk, also checks,in the survey participant property input column 96, one of the checkboxes for different sexes and one of the check boxes for different agegroups.

The data inputted by participants is transmitted to the firstshort-distance communication portion 26 of the first cellular phone 2,is then summarized in the first control portion 10, and is thentransmitted from the first telephone function portion 14 to thewide-area server. The wide-area server organizes a plurality ofcorrespondents, and receives from them, who are acting on the street atdifferent sites, similar short-distance range summary results across acellular phone network. The sites to which correspondents are dispatchedmay be limited to within a given city or prefecture; alternatively, asampling survey may be entrusted to correspondents scattered across acountry. Such correspondents are not limited to those in regularemployment with the administrator of the wide-area server, but may behired at relevant sites whenever a survey is conducted.

The wide-area server summarizes the data from different correspondentsto create wide-area statistic data. This wide-area statistic data isanalyzed by the wide-area server itself, and is distributed back to thecorrespondents across a cellular phone network. Receiving the wide-areastatistic data, the correspondents transfer it to the participantsnearby by the operation of short-distance communication portions. Inthis way, not only correspondents but also all participants can sharewide-area statistic data and know the result of the survey in which theyhave participated.

In FIG. 4, in a wide-area statistic data column 98 in the first displayportion 18, the participants of the wide-area survey are classfied byage and by sex, and are indicated as people surveyed 100. Also shown isthe statistic result in the form of a supporting political partydistribution chart by sex 102 and a supporting political partydistribution chart by age 104.

As described above, according to the features of the invention, in asurvey of supporting political parties or of the Cabinet approval rate,it is possible to conduct a sampling survey more efficiently than by ahouse-to-house survey by telephone. Moreover, by appropriately selectingand arranging short-distance communication ranges, it is possible toconduct a flexible and highly reliable public opinion survey. Even insuch wide-area applications, contents may be so devised as to offer moregame-like programs beyond simple surveys.

FIG. 5 and the following figures are flow charts showing the operationof the first control portion 10 in the first cellular phone 2 in FIG. 1;these figures are common to the other cellular phones such as the secondcellular phone 4. Although FIG. 5 and the following figures apply to anyof the first to third embodiments described above, the followingdescription basically centers around the first embodiment, givingexplanations of functions of the second and third embodiments whenevernecessary.

FIG. 5 shows a game menu flow for starting a game. The flow starts, forexample, on operation of the menu key 64 shown in FIG. 2. When the flowstarts, first, in step S2, it is checked whether or not there is aperson carrying another cellular phone within the short-distancecommunication range. If there is anyone carrying another cellular phonewithin the short-distance communication range, the flow proceeds to stepS4, where all the people within the short-distance range who can bemonitored are monitored. The monitoring here is a process in which aninformation exchange is attempted for a predetermined period with thecellular phone of each person within the communication rangeindividually according to a predetermined traffic control process suchas one operating on a first-access-first-served basis.

When the monitoring period in step S4 has passed, the flow proceeds tostep S6, where it is checked whether or not the number ofwithin-the-range people detected is equal to or more than apredetermined number (for example, 50). If the number of people withinthe range is equal to or more than the predetermined number, the flowproceeds to step S8, where the number of within-the-range peopledetected is accumulated, and then the flow proceeds to step S10. In stepS10, it is checked whether or not a predetermined period has passedsince the number of within-the-range people started to be accumulated sothat, if not, the flow returns to step S2. Thereafter, steps S2 throughS10 are repeated until the predetermined period passes unless either, instep S2, no person is detected any longer within the short-distancerange or, in step S6, the number of within-the-range people is no longerequal to or more than the predetermined number. Meanwhile, every timestep S8 is reached, the number of within-the-range people isaccumulated.

When, in step S10, it is detected that the predetermined period haspassed, the flow proceeds to step S12, where it is checked whether ornot the average of the accumulated numbers of within-the-range people isequal to or more than a predetermined number. If the average is equal toor more than the predetermined number, it follows that the number ofwithin-the-range people located nearby is stable. Thus, assuming that itis now possible to conduct a game or survey presupposing a large numberof people, the flow proceeds to step S14, where a menu of gamescategorized as “100-people games” is displayed. This display may beadded to, so as to be mixed with, a menu of ordinary games, or may bemade independently as a menu of those categorized as “100-people games”.

Next, in step S16, it is checked whether or not there is a “100-peoplegame” currently being conducted, and, if there is any, the flow proceedsto step S18, where a table of the “100-people games” currently beingconducted is displayed. This display is made, specifically, by changingthe color of or putting a mark to, among the games listed in step S14,those currently being conducted. A game with the changed color or themark thus indicates that someone nearby has already proposed it andparticipation into it is possible. When this menu is displayed, it isnow possible to make an operation to specify a game and participate init. Then, in step S20, it is checked whether or not such an operation ismade.

If no operation for selecting and participating in a game as mentionedabove is detected to be made within a predetermined period, the flowproceeds to step S22. On the other hand, if, in step S16, no “100-peoplegame” is detected to be currently being conducted, the flow proceedsdirectly to step S22. In step S22, it is checked whether or not anoperation is made to propose, from the menu of “100-people games”displayed in step S14, a game that is not currently being proposed. Ifno such operation is detected, the flow proceeds to step S24, where itis checked whether or not an operation is made to end the display of thegame menu.

If, in step S24, no operation to end the display of the game menu isdetected, the flow returns to step S2 and thereafter, unless apredetermined condition is fulfilled, steps S2 through S24 are repeated.Here, the predetermined condition is any of the following conditions: instep S2, no person is detected within the communication range; in stepS6, the number of within-the-range people is detected to be less thanthe predetermined number; in step S12, the average of the accumulatednumbers of within-the-range people is detected to be less than thepredetermined number; in step S20, an operation to select andparticipate in a game currently being conducted is detected; in stepS22, an operation to propose starting a game is detected; and, in stepS24, an operation to end the game menu is detected.

On the other hand, if, in step S24, an operation to end the game menu isdetected, the flow proceeds to step S26, where processing for game dataupdating is executed, and then the flow ends. The details of theprocessing for game data updating in step S26 will be described later.

If, in step S20, an operation to select and participate in a gamecurrently being conducted is detected, the flow proceeds to step S28 toproceed to processing for game participation. The details of theprocessing for game participation in step S28 will be described later.

If, in step S22, an operation to propose starting a game is detected,the flow proceeds to step S30 to proceed to processing for gameproposal. The details of the processing for game proposal in step S30will be described later.

If, in step S2, no person is detected within the short-distance range,or, in step S6, the number of within-the-range people is detected to beless than the predetermined number, or, in step S12, the average of theaccumulated numbers of within-the-range people is detected to be lessthan the predetermined number, then the flow proceeds to step S32, wherethe “100-people game” menu is eliminated from the display of the gamemenu. This makes it impossible to select a “100-people game”, andthereby prevents confusion on the user's part that may arise as a resultof a menu of unexecutable games being displayed.

Next, in step S34, it is checked whether or not an operation is made toselect one of the ordinary games displayed in step S32. If such anoperation is detected, the flow proceeds to processing for an ordinarygame in step S36. In this processing for an ordinary game, an ordinarygame is conducted as it is conventionally done.

On the other hand, if, in step S34, no operation to select a game isdetected, the flow proceeds to step S24, and, if no operation to end thegame menu is detected, the flow returns to step S2. In this case, if, instep S2, no person is detected within the short-distance range, or, instep S6, the number of within-the-range people is detected to be lessthan the predetermined number, or, in step S12, the average of theaccumulated numbers of within-the-range people is detected to be lessthan the predetermined number, then the flow returns to step S32, andthereafter, via one of these steps, steps S32 through S34 are repeated.

Permitting the flow to proceed from step S34 to step S24 as describedabove makes it possible, when the flow has returned to step S2 and aperson in the short-distance range is detected, for the flow to proceedto step S14 to enter the loop for the display of the “100-people game”menu.

As described above, in the flow shown in FIG. 5, according to howconditions change as the loop is repeated, the display of the“100-people game” menu is automatically switched by being eitherdisplayed in step S14 or eliminated in step S32.

Incidentally, in the case of a “locality game” in the second embodimentshown in FIG. 3, the cellular phone installed stationarily in thelocality (hereinafter referred to as the “locality-installed stationarycellular phone”) is automatically and constantly transmitting theproposal for the locality game irrespective of whether or not there arepeople in the short-distance communication range or their number. Tocope with this, the flow is modified such that, when a person detectedin the short-distance communication range in step S2 is identified asthe locality-installed stationary cellular phone, the flow proceedsdirectly to step S18. In this way, when a person enters the range inwhich short-distance communication with the locality-installedstationary cellular phone is possible, even if he is the only one there,it is displayed that a locality game is being conducted, and the personcan participate in it.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gameparticipation in step S28 in FIG. 5. When the flow starts, first, instep S42, the remaining time of the game is displayed. This lets thewould-be participant of the game know its progress.

Next, in step S44, it is checked whether or not a predetermined periodhas passed since the game was started. If the predetermined period hasnot passed yet, the flow proceeds to step S46, where it is checkedwhether or not an operation to participate as a player is made within apredetermined period. If no such operation is detected within thepredetermined period, the flow proceeds to step S48, where participationin the game as a monitor is established.

Next, in step S50, it is checked whether or not an operation to select“conditional display” is made within a predetermined period. If no suchoperation is detected within the predetermined period, the flow proceedsto step S52, where the “real-time display” mode is established, and thenthe flow proceeds to processing for a 100-people game in step S53. Thedetails of the processing for a 100-people game will be described later.In this way, if, after step S46 is reached, no operation is made withina predetermined period, the flow automatically proceeds to step S52,where “participation as a monitor” in the “real-time display” mode isestablished. On the other hand, if, in step S50, an operation to select“conditional display” is detected to be made within the predeterminedperiod, the flow proceeds to step S54, where the “conditional display”mode is established, and then the flow proceeds to the processing for a100-people game in step S53.

By contrast, if, in step S46, an operation to participate as a player isdetected to be made within the predetermined period, the flow proceedsto step S56, where it is checked whether or not an operation to requestthe display of reference data is made within a predetermined period. Ifsuch an operation is detected, the flow proceeds to step S58, where thecurrent number of participants is displayed. Then, in step S60, dataobtained by statistically processing the properties of participants isdisplayed, and then the flow proceeds to step S62.

The above-mentioned reference data displayed in steps S58 and S60affects the would-be participant's interest in the game. If he wants toknow it before finally deciding whether or not to participate, he canmake an operation to request the display of such data. The operation isdetected in step S56, and thus reference data is displayed as describedabove. On the other hand, if, after an operation to participate as aplayer is made, no operation is made within the predetermined period,the flow proceeds from step S56 directly to step S62, so that noreference data is displayed. In this way, unless the would-beparticipant is particularly interested, the display of referencedata—extra processing—is automatically omitted.

In step S62, it is checked whether or not an operation to approve thedisplay processing currently in effect is made within a predeterminedperiod. As already described, when one “participates as a player”, whichof the “real-time display” mode and the “conditional display” mode toadopt is unified among all players so that they play under the sameconditions, because the degree to which each is permitted to grasp thetrend of others affects whether they change or do not change theiranswers. And no later participant can participate in a different displaymode. Accordingly, if, in step S62, an operation of approval isdetected, the flow proceeds to step S64, where the display mode isforcibly changed to the one in which the game is currently beingconducted.

Next, in step S66, it is checked whether or not the game currently beingconducted demands submission of the would-be participant's property datasuch as sex, age, etc. If submission of property data is demanded, theflow proceeds to step S68, where it is checked whether or not anoperation to approve submission of property data is made within apredetermined period. Specifically, the operation involves inputtingproperty data by checking check boxes or otherwise. If such input ismade within a predetermined period, the flow proceeds to step S70, wherethe inputted property data is transmitted to the proponent. Now, in stepS72, participation as a player is established, and then the flowproceeds to the processing for a 100-people game in step S53.

If, in step S66, the game currently being conducted is of the type thatdoes not demand submission of property data, then the flow proceeds fromstep S66 directly to step S72, where participation as a player isestablished, and then the flow proceeds to the processing for a100-people game in step S53.

On the other hand, if, in step S44, the predetermined period has alreadypassed after the start of the game, the flow proceeds to step S74, whereit is displayed that the deadline for participation as a player hasalready expired and participation as a monitor alone is possible. If thewould-be participant loses interest on viewing it, he can make anoperation to stop participation. In step S76, it is checked whether ornot an operation to stop participation is made. If, after the display instep S74, an operation to stop participation is made within apredetermined period, the flow proceeds to step S78, where selection ofand participation in the game is cancelled, and then the flow ends.

If no operation to stop participation is made within the predeterminedperiod, the flow proceeds to step S46. In this case, in step S46, nooperation to participate as a player is permitted, and the flowautomatically and immediately proceeds to step S48, where participationas a monitor is established. In this way, when participation as a playeris impossible, if no operation is made within the predetermined period,participation as a monitor is automatically established.

If, in step S62, no operation to approve the display processingcurrently in effect is detected to be made within the predeterminedperiod, the flow proceeds to step S78, where selection of andparticipation in the game is cancelled. In this way, if the would-beparticipant feels no pleasure in the game currently being conducted inthe “real-time display” or “conditional display” mode and loses interestin participation in it, unless he, after making an operation toparticipate as a player, makes some operation within a predeterminedperiod, participation in the game is automatically canceled.

Also, if, in step S68, no operation to approve submission of propertydata is detected to be made within the predetermined period, the flowproceeds to step S78, where selection of and participation in the gameis cancelled. In this way, if the would-be participant, for privacyreasons, does not want to submit property data demanded by the gamecurrently being conducted, unless he, after making an operation toparticipate as a player, makes some operation within a predeterminedperiod, participation in the game is automatically canceled.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gameproposal in step S30 in FIG. 5. When the flow starts, first, in stepS82, a general menu of the games that can be proposed is displayed.Next, in step S84, it is checked whether or not an operation to selectdisplay of a menu dedicated to, among all the games, “wide-area games”is made within a predetermined period. The data for such a “wide-areagame” is, as soon as one is planed, distributed, along with its rules,across a telephone network to the telephone communication portion ofeach cellular phone so as to be stored in the game storage portion.

If, in step S84, an operation to select the menu of wide-area games isdetected to be made, the flow proceeds to step S86, where the game menuis displayed along with an outline of the rules of each game. With thisdisplay retained, the flow proceeds to step S88. On the other hand, if,in step S84, no operation to select the menu of wide-area games isdetected to be made, the flow proceeds directly to step S88.

In step S88, it is checked whether or not, after the display of the gamemenu in step S82 or S86, an operation to select one of the gamesdisplayed there is made within a predetermined period. If an operationto select is detected to be made, the flow proceeds to step S90. On theother hand, if, in step S88, no operation to select from the menu isdetected within the predetermined period, it is assumed that none of theexisting games in the menu is satisfying, and thus the flow proceeds toprocessing for original game proposal in step S92, on completion ofwhich the flow proceeds to step S90. The details of the processing fororiginal game proposal in step S92 will be described later.

In step S90, the ID of the selected game is transmitted from theshort-distance communication portion to propose the game. In a casewhere the flow has proceeded from the processing for original gameproposal in step S92 to step S90, along with the ID, the data of thecontents of the game is transmitted as well. Then, in step S94, thedeadline for participation in the game is transmitted, and then, in stepS96, it is checked whether or not there are responses from participants.In this case, as in step S4 in FIG. 5, to prevent overlap amongresponses from a plurality of participants, they are checkedindividually according to a predetermined traffic control process suchas one operating on a first-access-first-served basis.

If, in step S96, responses from participants are detected individually,the flow proceeds to step S98. In step S98, it is checked whether or notthe respondents fulfill the properties required by the game, then the IPaddresses of the participants with acceptable properties are stored, andthen it is checked whether or not the accumulated number of suchparticipants is equal to or more than a predetermined number. If thenumber of participants with acceptable properties is equal to or morethan the predetermined number, the flow proceeds to step S100, where anannouncement of success in starting the game is transmitted to allparticipants. Then, in step S101, countdown toward the end of the gameis started, then, in step S102, the display mode is chosen, and then theflow proceeds to the processing for a 100-people game in step S103.

On the other hand, if, in step S96, no response from any participant isdetected or, in step S98, the accumulated number of participants withacceptable properties does not reach the predetermined number, the flowproceeds to step S104, where it is checked whether or not an operationto stop proposal of the game is made. If no such operation is detected,the flow proceeds to step S105, where it is checked whether or not thedeadline for participation set in step S94 has expired. If the deadlinehas not expired yet, the flow returns to step S96, and thereafter stepsS96, S98, S104, and S105 are repeated unless, in step 98, the number ofparticipants with acceptable properties is equal to or greater than thepredetermined number, or, in step S104, an operation to stop proposal isdetected, or, in step S105, the deadline for participation is detectedto have expired.

If, in step S104, an operation to stop proposal is detected, or, in stepS105, the deadline for participation is detected to have expired, theflow proceeds to step S106, where an announcement of failure to startthe game is transmitted from the short-distance communication portion toaround, and then the flow ends.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for a100-people game in step S53 in FIG. 6 and in step S103 in FIG. 7. Whenthe flow starts, in step S107, processing for allocating communicationtimes is executed. By this processing, communication times are allocatedto a plurality of participants such that, when the proponentcommunicates with the participants individually, no overlap occurs amongtransmissions from different participants. As already described, to dealwith an unpredictable number of communication partners as in step S4 inFIG. 5 and in step S96 in FIG. 7, a predetermined traffic controlprocess such as one operating on a first-access-first-served basis isused to cope with overlap among responses from them. By contrast, once a100-people game is started and participants are identified individually,as in step S107, overlap among responses from them is prevented bymeasures different from those used when an unpredictable number ofcommunication partners are dealt with.

Thereafter, in step S108, it is checked whether or not the establishedgame is a wide-area one. If it is a wide-area game, the flow proceeds toprocessing for a wide-area game in step S109. The details of thisprocessing will be described later. If, in step S108, the establishedgame is not a wide-area one, it is then a game conducted locally withinthe short-distance communication range, and thus the flow proceeds tostep S110, where it is checked whether or not the “conditional display”mode is chosen. If conditional display is chosen, the flow proceeds toprocessing for a conditional display game in step S111. The details ofthis processing will be described later. On the other hand, if, in stepS110, conditional display is not chosen, the flow proceeds to processingfor a real-time display game in step S112. The details of thisprocessing will be described later.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart shown in the details of the processing for areal-time display game in step S112 in FIG. 8. When the flow starts, instep S113, it is checked whether or not the flow started via theprocessing for game proposal shown in FIG. 7. This corresponds tochecking whether or not one is the proponent of the game himself. If viathe processing for game proposal, the game needs to be started fromone's own cellular phone, and thus the flow proceeds to the stepsstarting with S114, where initial information of the game is transmittedto all participants. This corresponds to, for example, transmitting toall the participants a query like the one in the query area 64 in FIG.2.

Next, in step S116, it is checked whether or not there are incomingindividual responses in time zones allocated in step S107. If, when allthe time zones have passed, there has been an incoming response from anyparticipant, the flow proceeds to step S118, where the contents of anynewly received individual response is stored. Then, in step S120, thenewly received individual responses is integrated with previouslyreceived, already stored responses and these are subjected to statisticprocessing.

Next, in step S121, it is checked whether or not the game is beingconducted in a delay mode in which a game is so adapted that statisticresults are displayed with intentional delay. If in the delay mode, instep S122, processing for delaying, when a statistic result isavailable, its display and transmission for a predetermined period isexecuted, and then the flow proceeds to step S123. Specifically, a codefor automatically delaying display for a predetermined period is addedto the data of a statistic result. On the other hand, if not in thedelay mode, the flow proceeds from step S121 directly to step S123.

In step S123, display of a statistic result on one's own cellular phoneis requested. Here, if a delay code has been added in the processing forproducing a delay of a predetermined period in step S122, the display iseffected automatically after the predetermined period. Next, in stepS124, the statistic result is transmitted to all participants. Herealso, if a delay code has been added in the processing for producing adelay of a predetermined period in step S122, the display of thestatistic result on the cellular phones of other participants iseffected automatically the predetermined period after reception of thestatistic result.

Next, in step S126, it is checked whether or not the response deadlinetime has been reached and, if it has not been reached yet, the flowproceeds to step S128, where it is checked whether or not any conditionfor the end of the game is fulfilled. If no condition for the end of thegame is fulfilled, the flow returns to step S116, and thereafter stepsS116 through S128 are repeated unless, in step S126, the responsedeadline time is detected, or, in step S128, the end of the game isdetected. Thus, based on responses and statistic results derived fromthem, the game proceeds.

On the other hand, if, in step S126, the response deadline time isdetected, or, in step S128, the end of the game is detected, the flowproceeds to step S130, where the final result is displayed on one's owncellular phone. Simultaneously, in step S132, the final result istransmitted to all participants, and the flow ends. No code for delayingdisplay is added to the final result; thus, as soon as the data of thefinal result is available, it is promptly displayed.

For the sake of simplicity, the foregoing has dealt with a case wherethe flow ends on completion of, with respect to a single query, theseries of operations from transmission of the query to statisticprocessing of responses to display of the result. In the case of a gameinvolving a plurality of queries, for each query, steps S114 throughS132 in FIG. 9 are repeated. In this case, the end of the game in stepS128 denotes not the end of the entire game, but the end of the seriesof operations with respect to one query. Likewise, the “final result” insteps S130 and S132 denotes not the final result of the entire game, butthe final result with respect to one query.

What has been discussed above is the flow in a case where one is theproponent of the game himself. What will be discussed below is the flowin a case where one participates in a game proposed by anotherparticipant. This corresponds to a case where step S113 is reached notvia the processing for game proposal but via the processing for gameparticipation shown in FIG. 6.

In this case, the flow proceeds to step S134, where initial informationis received from the proponent. This initial information corresponds to,for example, receiving a query like the one in the query area 64 in FIG.2. Next, in step S136, it is checked whether or not participation is asa player. If participation is as a player, the flow proceeds to stepS138, where it is checked whether or not an operation is made to respondto the initial information received in step S134. If such an operationis detected, then, in step S140, the response indicated by the result ofthe operation is transmitted to the proponent by short-distancecommunication, and the flow proceeds to step S142.

On the other hand, if, in step S136, participation as a player is notdetected, or if, in step S138, no operation to respond is detected, theflow proceeds directly to step S142.

In step S142, it is checked whether or not a statistic result isreceived, and, if one is received, then, in step S144, display of thestatistic result is requested, and then the flow proceeds to step S146.In a case where a delay code has been added to the statistic result, thedisplay in step S144 is effected automatically with a delay of apredetermined period after reception of the data of the statisticresult. If, in step S142, no statistic result is received, the flowproceeds directly to step S146.

In step S146, it is checked whether or not the final result of the gameis received. If it is received, then, in step S148, it is displayed, andthen the flow ends. As described above, the final result is displayedwith no delay, and thus, if the display of the data requested in stepS144 is delayed, the display of the final result in step S148 may beeffected earlier than that. In this case, the request for display of thein-progress statistic result in step S144 becomes meaningless, and istherefore automatically canceled.

On the other hand, if, in step S146, no reception of the final result isdetected, then the flow returns to step S136, and thereafter steps S136through S146 are repeated until reception of the final result isdetected. In this way, a participant of the game who has participated asa player can play the game by making responding operations while viewingthe progress of the display in step S144. The responses are one afterthe next reflected in the statistic result.

On the other hand, if participation is not as a player, no respondingoperation is detected in step S138, and thus a participant can onlyenjoy the changing display passively.

Also in regard to the above-described flow in a case where one is aparticipant in a game, for the sake of simplicity, a case has been dealtwith where the flow ends on completion of, with respect to a singlequery, the series of operations from reception of a query to response toit to reception and display of the statistic result. However, also in acase where one is a participant in a game, as described in connectionwith the repetition of steps S113 to S132 in a case where one is theproponent, for a game involving a plurality of queries, with respect toeach query, steps S134 through S148 in FIG. 9 are repeated. In thiscase, the “final result” in steps S146 and S148 denotes not the finalresult of the entire game, but the final result with respect to onequery.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for aconditional display game in step S111 in FIG. 8. This flow has manythings common with the processing for a real-time display game shown inFIG. 9; accordingly, common steps are identified by common step numbersand their description will not be repeated.

In contrast, in the processing for a conditional display game shown inFIG. 10, those steps that differ from those in FIG. 9 are indicated bythicker lines and are identified by different step numbers; thefollowing is an in-brief description focused on these steps. In the flowof the FIG. 10, in step S114, initial information of the game, forexample a query like the one in the query area 64 in FIG. 2, istransmitted to all participants, and then the flow proceeds to stepS152, where a “response permitted” signal indicating that a response ispermitted is transmitted to each participant. To each participant, this“response permitted” signal and the later described “responseprohibited” signal are transmitted whenever necessary so that theparticipant stays in a response-permitted state after receiving the“response permitted” signal until receiving the “response prohibited”signal. Since the proponent himself can participate in the game underthe same conditions, he too can respond to a query only when theparticipant is in the response-permitted state.

Moreover, as will be described later, so long as any participant is inthe response-permitted state, the display of the statistic result is notupdated either for the proponent or for any participant; the progress ofthe statistic result is intentionally concealed for the sake of thepleasure of the game.

As described above, except that the “response permitted” signal isadditionally transmitted in step S152, the flow proceeds from step S114through step S120 as in FIG. 9, and step S120 is followed by step S154,where it is checked whether or not conditions for disclosing thestatistic result are fulfilled. If the conditions for disclosing thestatistic result are fulfilled, then, in step S156, the “responseprohibited” signal is transmitted to all participants and, in step S123,the statistic result is displayed for the proponent himself; then theflow proceeds to step S124. In the case of FIG. 10, no processing forproducing a delay as in steps S121 and S122 in FIG. 9 is executed. Onthe other hand, if, in step S154, the conditions for disclosing thestatistic result are not detected to be fulfilled, the flow proceedsdirectly to step S124. In step S124, as in FIG. 9, the statistic resultis transmitted to all other participants, and then the flow proceeds tostep S126.

In this way, for the proponent himself, unless the conditions fordisclosure are detected to be fulfilled in step S154, the statisticresult is not displayed in step S123. By contrast, for otherparticipants, irrespective of whether or not the conditions fordisclosure are fulfilled, the statistic result itself is transmitted.If, however, the conditions for disclosure are not detected to befulfilled in step S154, the “response prohibited” signal is nottransmitted in step S156.

Thereafter, the flow proceeds through steps S126 and S128 as in FIG. 9,and then, if, in step S128, the end of the game is not detected, theflow returns to step S152. In step S152, the “response permitted” signalis transmitted, and this, if the “response prohibited” signal has beentransmitted in step S156, brings participants back into theresponse-permitted state.

In a case where the flow returns to step S152 not via step S156,participants have already been in the response-permitted state, andtherefore transiting the “response permitted” signal in step S152 ismeaningless. Even then, whenever the flow proceeds through step S152,the proponent always transmits the “response permitted” signal withoutchecking the state of participants. On the other hand, participants, ifthey receive the “response permitted” signal in the response-permittedstate, neglect it by simply continuing to stay in the response-permittedstate. Needless to say, instead of this flow, it is possible to adoptone in which a history is kept of whether or not participants are in theresponse-permitted state so that, if they are in the response-permittedstate, the “response permitted” signal is not transmitted unnecessarilyin step S152.

If, in step S128 in FIG. 10, the end of the game is detected, the flowproceeds to step S158, where the “response prohibited” signal istransmitted, and then the flow proceeds to step S130.

Also in this case, if the flow reaches step S158 via step S156,participants are already in the response-prohibited state, and thereforetransmitting the “response prohibited” signal in step S158 ismeaningless. Even then, whenever the flow proceeds through the stepS158, the proponent always transmits the “response prohibited” signalwithout checking the state of participants. On the other hand,participants, if they receive the “response prohibited” signal in theresponse-prohibited state, neglect it by simply continuing to stay inthe response-prohibited state. Needless to say, instead of this flow, itis possible to adopt one in which a history is kept of whether or notparticipants are in the response-permitted state so that, if they are inthe response-prohibited state, the “response prohibited” signal is nottransmitted unnecessarily in step S158.

Next, a description will be given of how the flow on the part of aparticipant responds to the “response permitted” signal and “responseprohibited” signal transmitted from the proponent as described above. InFIG. 10, in a case where the flow reaches step S113 not via theprocessing for game proposal but via the processing for gameparticipation shown in FIG. 6, the flow proceeds to step S134, where, asin FIG. 9, initial information from the proponent is received.

In FIG. 10, if, in step S136, participation is as a player, the flowproceeds to step S160, where it is checked whether or not the cellularphone of the participant is in the response-permitted state. Only if itis in the response-permitted state, the flow proceeds through steps S138and S140 to step S162. On the other hand, if, in step S160, the cellularphone of the participant is not detected to be in the response-permittedstate, the flow proceeds directly to step S162. Thus, unless theparticipant is in the response-permitted state, he cannot make anyoperation to respond.

In step S162, it is again checked whether or not the cellular phone ofthe participant is in the response-permitted state. The purpose here,however, is to decide whether or not to display the received statisticresult. Specifically, if, in step S162, the response-permitted state isdetected, the flow returns to step S136, and thereafter steps S136through S162 are repeated until the response-permitted state is nolonger detected in step S162. Thus, even if the latest statistic resulthas been received, it is concealed from being displayed, so that theparticipant cannot know the statistic result.

By contrast, if, in step S162, the response-prohibited state isdetected, the flow can then proceed to step S142 and, if, in step S142,the latest statistic result is detected to be received, it is displayedin step S144. Then if, in step S146, the final result is received, theflow proceeds to step S148, where it is displayed.

If, in step S146, the final result is not received, the game is stillbeing conducted; thus, having displayed the latest statistic result instep S144, the flow returns to step S136. Here, if the game is stillbeing conducted, the cellular phone of the participant is already backin the response-permitted state. This is because, in the flow on thepart of the proponent, immediately after the transmission of the“response prohibited” signal in step S156, back in step S152, the“response permitted” signal is transmitted. Accordingly, the flow on thepart of the participant, after returning to step S136, repeats stepsS136 through S162 unless the proponent transmits the “responseprohibited” signal on detecting fulfillment of the conditions fordisclosure on the next occasion, and thus cannot reach step S144, withthe result that the latest statistic result is again concealed.

In the flow shown in FIG. 10, whether or not to permit response to aquery and whether or not to permit display of the statistic result arelinked in a reversed relationship. The reason is that the period inwhich response is prohibited is comparatively short and substantiallydoes not stop the progress of the game, and that giving up response forthe time being on one turning point or other is acceptable in statisticprocessing.

This, however, is in no way meant to limit the configuration with whichto implement the invention; it is possible to link the detection ofwhether or not the conditions for disclosure are fulfilled only towhether or not to permit display of the statistic result, leavingresponse possible at any time independently.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing fororiginal game proposal in step S92 in FIG. 7. When the flow starts, instep S172, a menu of original games is displayed. In this display of theoriginal menu, a choice can be made between, on one hand, semi-originaltemplate games, for which templates for inputting rules and contents areavailable, and, on the other, a menu for creating an original game withcomplete freedom.

In step S174, it is checked whether or not an operation to choose thetemplate game menu is made, and, if such an operation is detected, then,in step S176, a menu showing the detailed contents of template games isdisplayed. Then if, in step S178, an operation to select one of thetemplate games is detected, the flow proceeds to step S179, where one ofthe templates needed to construct the game is displayed.

For example, in the case of a questionnaire game like the one shown inFIG. 2, a template for inputting a query and options in the query area64 is displayed. Typically, for each game, a plurality of templates areprepared as needed to conduct it. For example, other than thequery-and-options template mentioned above, there are prepared ones forselecting the summarizing method in the summary area 66 and forselecting and setting the display layout etc. There are also preparedtemplates for setting game participation qualification properties, forchoosing between “real-time display” and “conditional display”, forsetting conditions for conditional display, etc. In step S179, thesetemplates are displayed one after another in predetermined order.

Such a template game is useful in a case where, as with a questionnairegame, the game has a universal form but its contents need to be createdfreely; a template game makes it possible to propose, as a game,contents of interest to one without spending time in the setting ofbasic design such as its form and rules.

Next, in step S180, tips on how to input to the template are displayed,and, in step S182, it is checked whether or not an operation to input tothe template is made. If no input is made within a predetermined periodor if input is made inappropriately, it is assumed that no operation toinput is made, and the flow returns to step S180. In step S180, asnecessary, the tips for input are replaced with those which more suitthe situation.

If, in step S182, an appropriate operation to input is detected to bemade, the flow proceeds to step S184, where what has been inputted ischecked. If there is a defect in what has been inputted, the flowproceeds to step S186, where it is displayed that correction is needed,and then the flow returns to step S182; thereafter, steps S180 throughS186 are repeated until what has been inputted is judged to beacceptable in step S184.

If, in step S184, what is inputted is judged to be acceptable, the flowproceeds to step S188, where it is checked whether or not an operationto complete input is made. If no such operation is detected to be made,the flow returns to step S179, where the next template is displayed.

Thereafter, until an operation to complete input is detected in stepS188, steps S179 through S188 are repeated. On the other hand, if, instep S188, an operation to complete input is detected, the flow proceedsto step S190, where the game ID is definitely determined and coding ofwhat has been inputted to templates is performed, and then the flowends. The game ID is preliminarily assigned when templates arepresented, and is definitely determined in step S190. If input to allthe prepared templates is completed, even if no operation to completeinput is expressly made in step S188, it is assumed that input has beencompleted, and the flow proceeds to step S190.

If, in step S174, no operation to display the template game menu ismade, or if, in step S178, no operation to select one of the templategames displayed is made, the flow proceeds to processing for purelyoriginal proposal in step S192. In this processing, through operationson the first manipulation portion 12 and with the GUI provided by thefirst display portion 18, it is possible to create an original game withcomplete freedom. When creation of a game is completed, the flowproceeds to step S194, where coding is performed to standardize thecontents of the game, and then the flow ends.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for anordinary game in step S36 in FIG. 5. This processing is concernedbasically with a game conducted on a cellular phone alone asconventionally done, and additionally includes the function of, wheneverit becomes possible to conduct a “100-people game” while an ordinarygame is being conducted, notifying of the situation.

When the flow starts, in step S202, it is checked whether or not a gamehas been started. If no game has been started, then, in step S204, it ischecked whether or not there is a person carrying another cellular phonewithin the short-distance communication range. This step is similar tostep S2 in FIG. 5, but it does have the significance of checking, in acase where the processing for an ordinary game was started with noperson detected in the short-distance communication range in step S2 inFIG. 5, whether or not the situation has later changed such that thereis now a person in the short-distance communication range.

The following steps from step S206 through step S214 in FIG. 12 have thesame purpose as steps S4 through S12 in FIG. 5, and have the function ofconfirming that the number of within-the-range people located nearby isstably equal to or more than a predetermined number. If that isconfirmed, the flow proceeds to step S216, where it is displayed that,despite in the middle of the processing for a normal game, it is nowpossible to conduct a “100-people game”, and the flow proceeds to stepS128. When the flow has proceeded from step S202 to step S216, no gamehas been started yet; thus, viewing that display, the user can make anoperation to switch to a “100-people game”.

By contrast, when the flow has proceeded from step S202 to step S204 andthere no person is detected in the short-distance range, or if, in stepS208, the number of within-the-range people detected is less than apredetermined number, or, in step S212, a predetermined period has notyet passed since the start of accumulation, or, in step S214, theaverage of the accumulated numbers of within-the-range people is notdetected to be equal to or more than a predetermined number, the flowproceeds directly to step S218 without making the display in step S216.

In step S218, it is checked whether or not an operation to end the gameis made and, if no such operation is detected, the flow proceeds to stepS220, where it is checked whether or not a game is underway. If no gameis underway, the flow returns to step S204, and thereafter, unless, instep S218, an operation to end the game is detected or unless, in stepS220, a game is detected to be underway, steps S204 through S220 arerepeated to continue detecting a state in which a “100-people game” canbe conducted. During this repetition, it is at any time possible to makean operation to start an ordinary game and, whenever such an operationis made, in step S220, a game is detected to be underway.

If, in step S220, a game is detected to be underway, the flow proceedsto step S222, where, according to a predetermined game flow, the unit ofthe game is executed. On completion of the execution of that unit, theflow proceeds to step S224, where it is checked whether or not the gamehas ended. If the game is detected to have ended, the flow returns tostep S204, and thereafter steps S204 through S220 are repeated tocontinue detecting a state in which a “100-people game” can beconducted. After the game has ended, unless an operation to startanother game is made, in step S220, no game is detected to be underway.

On the other hand, if, in step S224, the game has not ended yet, theflow proceeds to step S226, where it is checked whether or not, at theend of the execution of the game in step S222, a turning point of thegame has come. Here, a turning point denotes, for example, a state inwhich the execution of a game is being suspended to allow the user anunlimited length of time to make a selection operation to proceed to thenext stage of the game. If such a turning point of the game has alreadycome, the flow proceeds to step S204, and thereafter steps S204 throughS220 are repeated to continue detecting a state in which a “100-peoplegame” can be conducted. Also when a turning point of the game has comeand the game is in a suspended state, unless an operation to restart thegame is made, in step S220, no game is detected to be underway.

If, in step S226, a turning point of the game is not detected to havecome, the flow returns to step S222 to continue to execute the next gameunit.

If, in step S202, a game is detected to be started, the flow proceeds tostep S222 to start the game unit.

As described above, in the embodiments of the invention, even in themiddle of the processing for an ordinary game, so long as the progressof the game is not hampered, detection of a state in which a “100-peoplegame” can be conducted is continued.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart that shows the details of the processing for awide-area game in step S109 in FIG. 8. This flow too has many thingscommon with the processing for a real-time display game shown in FIG. 9;accordingly, common steps are identified by common step numbers andtheir description will not be repeated.

In contrast, in the processing for a conditional display game shown inFIG. 13, those steps that differ from those in FIG. 9 are indicated bythicker lines and are identified by different step numbers; thefollowing is an in-brief description focused on these steps.Furthermore, in the flow shown in FIG. 13, there are steps in which theoperations performed are themselves the same as in FIG. 9 but the datahandled is not data within the short-distance range but wide-areastatistic data. These steps bear step numbers common to FIG. 9 but areindicated by thicker lines.

In the flow shown in FIG. 13, in step S114, initial information of agame, for example a query like the one in the query area 64 in FIG. 2,is transmitted to all participants, and then the flow proceeds to S232,where all participants are notified that the game is a “wide-area game”.This permits participants to recognize that their responses are not keptwithin the short-distance communication range but are gathered togetherin a wide-area server and are spread over a wide area.

In the flow shown in FIG. 13, in step S120, responses from participantswithin the short-distance communication range are subjected to statisticprocessing as in FIG. 9. Next, in step S234, communication is conductedwith a wide-area server over the Internet across a telephone network sothat the data having undergone the statistic processing is uploaded tothe wide-area server and that the wide-area statistic data obtainedthrough statistic processing by the wide-area server is downloaded.Thus, the operations performed in the following steps, namely display ofthe statistic result in step S123 and transmission of the statisticresult to all participants in step S124, are themselves the same as inFIG. 9, but the contents handled there are not statistic data within theshort-distance communication range but the downloaded wide-areastatistic data.

In FIG. 13, first, in step S120, statistic processing is performed onthe responses received by the short-distance communication portion, andthe result is uploaded to the wide-area server in step S234. Instead,step S120 may be skipped, and the raw data of individual responsesstored in step S118 may be uploaded directly to the wide-area server instep S234. Instead, when the data having undergone statistic processingis uploaded in step S120, together the raw data of individual responsesin step S118 may be uploaded as reference information.

The foregoing has discussed communication of an in-progress result withthe wide-area server. In the flow shown in FIG. 13, also when, in stepS128, the game ends, the flow proceeds to step S236, where communicationis conducted with the wide-area server over the Internet across atelephone network so that the final result having undergone statisticprocessing is uploaded to the wide-area server and that the final resultin the form of wide-area statistic data obtained through statisticprocessing by the wide-area server is downloaded. Thus, the operationsin the following steps, namely display of the final result in step S130and transmission of the final result to all participants in step S132are themselves the same as in FIG. 9, but the contents handled there arenot statistic data within the short-distance communication range but thedownloaded wide-area statistic data. The contents in the wide-areastatistic data column 98 in FIG. 4 are information having undergone suchprocessing.

Also in step S236 mentioned above, instead of the result of statisticprocessing being uploaded to the wide-area server, the raw data ofindividual responses stored may be uploaded directly to the wide-areaserver in step S236. Instead, together with the data having undergonestatistic processing, the raw data of individual responses may beuploaded as reference information. That is, the same applies here aswith step S234.

The flow on the part of a participant in FIG. 13 includes operationsthat are themselves the same as those in FIG. 9, but the contentshandled there are different. First, the initial information received instep S134 contains a notification, transmitted in step S232, to theeffect that the game is a “wide-area game”. Moreover, the statisticresult received in step S142 and displayed in step S144 and the finalresult received in step S146 and displayed in step S148 are notstatistic data within the short-distance communication range but thedownloaded wide-area statistic data.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gamedata updating in step S26 in FIG. 5. When the flow starts, in step S242,the IDs of all the games stored in one's own apparatus are transmittedfrom the first near-field communication portion 26 to outside.Subsequently, in step S244, it is checked whether or not a request totransmit the game data of a specified ID is being received from anotherapparatus by the first near-field communication portion 26. If such arequest is being received, the requested game data is transmitted fromthe first near-field communication portion 26 to the apparatus fromwhich the request was received, and then the flow proceeds to step S248.On the other hand, if, in step S244, no such request is detected, theflow proceeds directly to step S248. These are the operations forexporting game data stored in one's own apparatus from the firstshort-distance communication portion 26 to another apparatus.

On the other hand, step S248 and the following steps are operations forimporting game data from outside to one's own apparatus. First, in stepS248, it is checked whether or not a game ID is received from anotherapparatus by the first near-field communication portion 26. If one isreceived, the flow proceeds to step S250, where processing for game datareception/registration is executed, and then the flow proceeds to stepS252. On the other hand, if, in step S248, no game ID is detected to bereceived, the flow proceeds directly to step S252.

In step S252, the Internet is accessed from the first telephonecommunication portion 24. Then, in step S254, a game ID is downloadedfrom an external server that holds game data, and then, in step S256,processing for game data reception/registration is executed, and thenthe flow ends.

As described above, game data can be imported from outside either byimporting it from another apparatus via the first near-fieldcommunication portion 26 or by importing it from an external server overthe Internet via the first telephone communication portion 24. Thedetails of the processing for game data reception/registration in stepsS250 and S256 will be described with reference to the next figure.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing for gamedata reception/registration in steps S250 and S256 in FIG. 14. When theflow starts, in step S262, it is checked whether or not a game ID hasnewly arrived that has not yet been registered in one's own apparatus.If there is a new game ID, it is stored in step S264, and then the flowproceeds to step S266. On the other hand, if, in step S262, no newlyarrived game ID is detected, the flow proceeds directly to step S266.

In step S264, the newly arrived ID is stored with a code attached to itthat distinguishes whether it was received from another apparatus byshort-distance communication or it was downloaded from an externalserver over the Internet. This applies to any other newly arrived IDmentioned in the following description.

In step S266, it is checked whether or not an ID of a new version of analready registered game has newly arrived. If there is an ID of a newversion, it is stored in step S268, and then the flow proceeds to stepS270. On the other hand, if, in step S266, no newly arrived version IDis detected, the flow proceeds directly to step S270.

In step S270, it is checked whether or not a new template ID of analready registered game has newly arrived. If there is a new templateID, it is stored in step S272, and then the flow proceeds to step S274.On the other hand, if, in step S270, no new template ID is detected, theflow proceeds directly to step S274.

In step S274, it is checked whether or not an ID of new processingsoftware related to game execution in general has newly arrived. Ifthere is a new processing software ID, it is stored in step S276, andthen the flow proceeds to step S278. On the other hand, if, in stepS274, no new processing software ID is detected, the flow proceedsdirectly to step S278.

In step S278, if there is any ID stored in steps S264, S268, S272, andS276, it is checked whether or not there is any stored ID that wasreceived from another apparatus through communication by the firstnear-field communication portion 26. If there is any stored ID receivedfrom another apparatus, the flow proceeds to step S280, where the datacorresponding to the stored ID is demanded from the other terminal byshort-distance communication and, when it is received, the flow proceedsto step S282. On the other hand, if, in step S278, no stored ID isdetected to have been received from another apparatus, the flow proceedsdirectly to step S282.

In step S282, if there is any ID stored in steps S264, S268, S272, andS276, it is checked whether or not there is any stored ID that wasdownloaded from an external server. If there is any stored ID downloadedfrom an external server, the flow proceeds to step S284, where the datacorresponding to the stored ID is downloaded over the internet via thefirst telephone communication portion 24, and then the flow proceeds tostep S286. On the other hand, if, in step S282, no stored ID is detectedto have been downloaded from an external server, the flow proceedsdirectly to step S286.

In step S286, the data acquired by being received in step S280 or bybeing downloaded in step S284 is registered in the first game storageportion 22.

As described above, in the embodiments of the invention, data related toa game enjoyed by the operation of the first near-field communicationportion 26 is acquired from an external server over the Internet via thefirst telephone communication portion 24. In this case, anotherapparatus located nearby may have downloaded the desired game-relateddata, and therefore, first, an attempt is made to acquire thegame-related data from another apparatus by the first near-fieldcommunication portion 26; if no other apparatus has the game-relateddata, one's own apparatus itself accesses the Internet and downloads thegame-related data. When one's own apparatus acquires game-related data,it then tries to export it from the first near-field communicationportion 26 to another apparatus around.

The details of updating through acquisition and sharing of game-relateddata proceed according to the flow charts in FIGS. 14 and 15. As will beclear from step S26 in FIG. 5, at the end of a game, that processing forgame data updating is always executed to promote acquisition and sharingof game-related data.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the details of the statistic processingin step S120 common to FIGS. 9, 10, and 12. When the incoming individualresponses are stored in step S118 and the step S120 is reached, the flowstarts. In step S292, it is checked whether or not the responses are inresponse to a template game. If they are in response to a template game,the flow proceeds to step S294, where the ID of the game correspondingto the responses is identified. Then, based on the identified ID, instep S296, the application software common to the corresponding templategame is started. This common software is common irrespective of thecontents of the queries, options, etc. inputted to templates.

When the software is started, the flow proceeds to step S298, where, outof the responses stored, one response option is extracted. Then, in stepS300, the ID of the query corresponding to the extracted option isidentified. Then, in step S302, the ID of the extracted option itself isidentified. Through these operations, the query and the ID assigned toit are definitely determined, and thus the flow proceeds to step S304,where, based on the thus determined ID, query-by-query andoption-by-option classification is performed, and the correspondingaccumulated counts are incremented.

On completion of the counting, in step S306, it is checked whether ornot there remains any unsummarized option. If there is an unsummarizedoption, the flow returns to step S298, where the next option isextracted. If what is extracted here is responsive to a different query,it is detected in step S300 so that, in step S304, the counts for thedifferent query are incremented.

Thereafter, until, in step S306, it is confirmed that there remains nounsummarized option, the loop from step S298 through step S306 arerepeated. This loop is processed formally by the common softwareirrespective of the contents of queries and options.

When all the stored response options have been subjected to classifiedcounting, then, in step S306, it is judged that there remains nounsummarized option. Thus, the flow proceeds to step S308, where thecontents of the queries inputted to templates for queries are read out.Then, in step S310, the contents of the options inputted to templatesfor options are read out. Then, in step S312, the final count valuesaccumulated one for each option are read out. In step S314, based onwhat has thus been read out, the summary layout to be applied to thedisplay of the summary result is decided. Specifically, out of aplurality of common layouts previously prepared for corresponding games,the one that most suits the display of what has been read out from stepS308 through step S312 is decided, and the decided layout is specifiedby its ID. Game participants already have information on the contents ofqueries and of their respective options and in addition have layoutdata, and accordingly what now needs to be transmitted as a statisticresult to each participant are the query-by-query and option-by-optionfinal count values read out in step S312 and the summary layout IDspecified in step S314. Now, participants, based on the data they arepreviously provided with and the data they have received as a statisticresult, can display the statistic result in a layout like one of thoseshown in FIGS. 2 to 4 on their own cellular phones.

As described above, for a template game, its execution is processed bycommon software irrespective of the contents inputted to templates, andalso the results are displayed in a common layout. Thus, a user canconcentrate on working out queries and options, the part of mostinterest to him, and does not need to take trouble in the part relatedto the running of the game. This makes it easy to propose a game.Moreover, since the software related to the running of the game isshared among game participants, the data that needs to be exchangedamong game participants is as little as the ID by which to specify theshared data plus minimal information contents.

If, in step S292, the responses are not in response to a template game,the flow proceeds to step S316, where statistic processing specific toeach game is executed.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing the details of the transmission ofinitial information to all participants in step S114 common to FIGS. 9,10, and 12. When it is confirmed, in step S113, that the flow startedvia the processing for game proposal shown in FIG. 7 and the step S114is reached, the flow shown in FIG. 17 starts. In step S322, it ischecked whether or not the initial information to be transmitted toparticipants is related to a template game. If it is related to atemplate game, then, in step S324, the ID of the game is transmitted.This is because the receivers previously share a plurality of softwareprograms for processing various template games, and simply specifyingthe game ID makes it possible to process the specified game.

Next, in step S326, the ID assigned to a query to participants istransmitted and then, in step S328, the contents of the querycorresponding to that ID are transmitted. Then, in step S330, the IDassigned to one of the options of the response to the query istransmitted and then, in step S332, the contents of the optioncorresponding to that ID are transmitted. Then, in step S334, it ischecked whether or not there remains any still untransmitted option. Ifthere is any untransmitted option, the flow returns to step S330, wherethe ID of the next option responsive to the query is transmitted.Thereafter, until there remains no untransmitted option, steps S330through S334 are repeated.

If, in step S334, it is detected that there remains no untransmittedoption, the flow proceeds to step S336, where information on theresponse deadline is transmitted. Then, in step S338, the communicationtimes allocated in step S107 in FIG. 8 are transmitted. The allocatedcommunication times differ among participants, and accordingly eitherthey are transmitted individually to respective participants or anallocation table for all participants is transmitted to them at once.

Thus the flow shown in FIG. 17 ends. If, in step S332, the transmissionis detected to be not related to a template game, the flow proceedsdirectly to step S340, where processing for transmitting informationspecific to the game is executed, and then the flow ends.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing fordisplaying the statistic result on the part of a participant in stepS144 common to FIGS. 9, 10, and 13. When the statistic result isdetected in step S142 and the step S144 is reached, the flow shown inFIG. 18 starts. In step S342, it is checked whether or not the statisticresult of a template game is received.

If the statistic result of a template game is received, in step S344,from the received information, game-related IDs are read out. Thegame-related IDs contain a game ID, query IDs, option IDs, etc. Next,the flow proceeds to step S346, where the contents of the queriesinputted to the query template specified by the IDs read out are readout. The contents of those queries and of their respective options havealready been received as initial information in the flow shown in FIG.17. Then, in step S348, the contents of the options inputted to theoption template specified by the IDs read out are read out. Then, instep S350, the final count values accumulated option-by-option are readout.

Next, the thus obtained information for the display of the statisticresult is displayed. First, in step S352, it is checked whether or not,in the received information, a layout to be applied to the display ofthe summary is specified. Specifically, it is checked whether or not thegame-related IDs read out in step S344 contain an ID that specifies thesummary layout to be applied. If there is an ID that specifies a summarylayout, then, in step S354, where the ID is read out, and the flowproceeds to step S356. On the other hand, if, in step S352, no layout isspecified, then, in step S358, a predetermined layout is applied, andthe flow proceeds to step S356.

Through the above operations, the information contents for statisticdisplay and the information needed to display them are now at hand, andthus, in step S356, based on the information, data of the screen to bedisplayed is created. Then, in step S360, the statistic result isdisplayed, and the flow ends.

On the other hand, if, in step S342, the statistic result of a templategame is not received, the flow proceeds to step S362, where processingfor game-specific display is executed, and the flow ends.

The flow of FIG. 18 has been described as one showing the details of theprocessing for statistic result display on the part of a participant; aflow chart showing the details of the processing for statistic resultdisplay on the part of the proponent in step S123 common to FIGS. 9, 10,and 13 basically has a similar configuration. A difference is that whatis checked in step S342 is not a received statistic result but thestatistic result that the proponent himself has processed in step S120.

Moreover, the flow of FIG. 18 is used not only to display in-progressreports of statistic processing but also to display the final result instep S130 or S148 common to FIGS. 9, 10, and 13.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing the details of part of the flows shownin FIGS. 7 and 8; specifically, what it shows is the details of the flowproceeding from step S96 through step S103 in FIG. 7 and thence jumpingto FIG. 8, showing the details of that step, until reaching step S107.In FIG. 19, the steps in the part thereof common with FIGS. 7 and 8,that is, the same steps as those found in FIGS. 7 and 8, are identifiedby common step numbers, and their description will not be repeated. Incontrast, such steps in FIG. 19 that differ from those in FIGS. 7 and 8are indicated by thicker lines and are identified by different stepnumbers. The following is an in-brief description focused on thesesteps.

In FIG. 7, when the flow proceeds from step S94 to step S96, it ischecked whether or not there are responses from participants. Thedetails of this is shown in steps S372 through S382 in FIG. 19. First,in step S372, it is checked whether or not there is an incoming responsefrom a participant. If there is no incoming response, the flow proceedsto step S104. This corresponds to the operation in step S96, where, ifthere is no response from participants, the flow proceeds to step S104.Since steps S104 through S106 are the same as in FIG. 7, theirdescription will be omitted.

By contrast, if there is an incoming response, the flow proceeds to stepS374, where it is checked whether or not refusal of a newly incomingresponse is in effect. If refusal of a newly incoming response is ineffect, it means that another incoming response is currently beingreceived; thus, the newly incoming response is not received, and theflow proceeds to step S104. In this way, even when there is an incomingresponse, if another incoming response is already being received, theformer is refused on a first-access-first-served basis. On the otherhand, if, in step S374, refusal of a newly incoming response is not ineffect, it means that no other incoming response is currently beingreceived; thus, to proceed to reception, the flow proceeds to step S376,where refusal of a newly incoming response is put into effect so that nooverlap will occur with later reception.

Next, in step S378, processing for reception is executed and, while theprocess is being executed, the flow proceeds to step S380. In step S380,it is checked whether or not information occurs to the effect thatreception has been completed in the reception processing in step S378,and, if reception has not been completed yet, the flow returns to stepS378 to continue with the reception processing. When completion ofreception is confirmed, the flow proceeds to step S382, where refusal ofa newly incoming response is put out of effect so that the next incomingresponse can be accepted. Every time a response is received in this way,the flow proceeds to step S98. The following steps up through step S102are the same as in FIG. 7, and therefore their description will beomitted.

From step S102 in FIG. 7, the flow proceeds to the processing for a100-people game in step S103, the details of which are as shown in FIG.8. Steps S384 through S388 in FIG. 19 show, in the context of this flow,the details of the processing for allocating communication time in stepS107 in FIG. 8.

First, in step S384, participants are confirmed. In this operation, theaddresses with which the short-distance communication portions of thecellular phones of individual participants can be identified areconfirmed, and the number of participant is confirmed. Based on theinformation confirmed in step S384, in step S386, the response timezones allocated to participants are decided. Then, based on that, instep S388, information on allocated times is created for transmission,and the flow proceeds to step S108. This information is created eitherindividually as different information for each participant or in theform of an allocation table common to all participants that can betransmitted to all of them.

As described above, between at the stage where an unpredicted number ofrespondents are solicited as in steps S372 through S382 and at the stagewhere communication is conducted with identified participants as insteps S384 through S388, it is possible to adopt, as means forpreventing overlap between transmission from a plurality ofparticipants, different means suitable for the respective stages. This,however, is in no way meant to limit the invention; depending on thesituation and purpose, it is also possible to adopt response overlapprevention measures common to the two stages.

The information on allocated times created for transmission in step S388is transmitted to each participant in step S338 in FIG. 17.

Hereinafter, conventional problems and the various solutions thereofthat the present invention has achieved, which have been described inthe embodiments above, will be summarized as follows:

First, with conventional information exchanging apparatuses, because ofcharges for the use of cellular phone networks, such functions have notyet become common as functions that can be easily used like those, suchas games, executed within cellular phones themselves.

In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide aninformation exchanging apparatus that permits easier informationexchange; another object of the invention is to provide an informationexchanging apparatus that permits easy coordination among acomparatively large number of people.

To achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the invention,an information exchanging apparatus comprises: a first wirelesscommunication means that has a telephone function portion fortransmitting and receiving voice and that communicates with an outsidecommunication apparatus; a second wireless communication means separatetherefrom; an information transmission portion that performs informationtransmission to a plurality of outside communication apparatuses by thesecond wireless communication means; a response processing portion thatprocesses responses received, with respect to the informationtransmission, from a plurality of outside communication apparatuses bythe second wireless communication means; and a distribution portion thatdistributes a result of processing by the response processing portion toa plurality of outside communication apparatuses by the second wirelesscommunication means. Thus, according to the invention, by wirelesscommunication means that, despite incorporated in an appliance such as acellular phone having wireless telephone functions, is separate fromwireless communication means for telephone functions and does not incurcharges, it is possible to perform information transmission to aplurality of partners, to process responses therefrom, and to distributeprocessing results. Thus, an information exchanging apparatus isprovided that is useful in games and public opinion surveys participatedin by a large number of people. Moreover, the above feature of theinvention, according to which wireless communication means separate froma charge-incurring telephone network is linked with means for makinginformation exchange easy, makes it possible, rather than passivelyparticipating in a survey or the like administered by a large-scaleserver, to act as the proponent of a survey or the like and invite alarge number of people.

According to a specific feature of the invention, the informationtransmission portion transmits a query along with options responsive toit. This helps standardize information transmission and response, thusmakes information transmission and response easy, and also makes thenecessary processing easy, contributing to generalization of functions.

According to another specific feature of the invention, a responsemanipulation portion is provided that responds, with respect toinformation transmission from an outside communication apparatus, by thesecond wireless communication means. This makes it possible not only toact on the information transmission side oneself but also to respond toinformation transmission from outside. Thus, it is possible not only topropose information exchange but also to easily participate ininformation exchange proposed by another. More specifically, theresponse manipulation portion may be so configured as to select aresponse option in reply to a query and response options with respect toinformation transmission from an outside communication apparatus. Thismakes response easy.

According to another specific feature of the invention, a displayportion is shared for the display of information to be transmitted. Thismakes it possible to easily confirm the information to be exchangedirrespective of whether on the information transmission side or on theresponse side. Thus, it is possible to exchange information freely fromeither side.

According to another specific feature of the invention, means forprocessing information of the information transmission portion is sharedwith an outside communication apparatus. Sharing the processing means inthis way helps standardize the processing. This makes it possible torealize a system that can, irrespective of whether on the informationtransmission side or on the response side, freely perform a series ofoperations to perform information transmission to a plurality ofpartners, to process responses therefrom, and to distribute processingresults. Theoretically, exchange of information having similar contentsto that exchanged by the invention is eventually possible, for example,through repeated, elaborate communication and transfer by use of themail functions of cellular phones. In reality, however, doing that isextremely difficult and incurs high communication charges. By contrast,according to the invention, on a shared system, information can beexchanges easily and inexpensively.

According to another specific feature of the invention, a controlportion is provided that transmits the processing result by the responseprocessing portion to an external server by the first wirelesscommunication means and that receives a comprehensive processing resultobtained by processing that processing result from the external serverby the first wireless communication means. The distribution portiondistributes the comprehensive processing result received by the controlportion to a plurality of outside communication apparatuses by thesecond wireless communication means. Gathering summary results obtainedvia the second wireless communication means to an external server acrossa telephone network in this way makes it possible to exchangeinformation beyond the communication range of the second wirelesscommunication means, and is useful in wide-area surveys etc. Moreover,summarizing and distributing summary results across a telephone networkvia the second wireless communication means in this way helps promoteinformation exchange in terms of both efficiency and costs, comparedwith an external server collecting information directly from individualcellular phones across a telephone network. Furthermore, information isfirst collected in each communication range of the second wirelesscommunication means and then gathered to an external server. This makesit easy to control the method of sampling surveys in terms of how toconduct local on-site surveys in specified areas such as railwaystations and parks and how to summarize the local survey results in awide area. By contrast, in a case where an external server directlyaccesses individual cellular phones across a telephone network, becausecellular phones are constantly moving, centralized control of localsites requires a huge amount of information processing.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: first wireless communication means; second wirelesscommunication means separate therefrom; an information transmissionportion that performs information transmission to a plurality of outsidecommunication apparatuses by the second wireless communication means; acontrol portion that transmits information related to responsesreceived, with respect to the information transmission, from a pluralityof outside communication apparatuses by the second wirelesscommunication means to an external server by the first wirelesscommunication means and that receives a processing result obtained byprocessing that information from the external server by the firstwireless communication means; and a distribution portion thatdistributes the processing result received by the control portion to aplurality of outside communication apparatuses by the second wirelesscommunication means. Application of these features of theinvention—information that has been passed via the second wirelesscommunication means is summarized by the first wireless communicationmeans and the summary result from the first wireless communication meansis distributed via the second wireless communication means—is notlimited to cellular phones. that is, these features help realize aninformation exchanging apparatus that permits easy control of the methodof sampling surveys in terms of how to conduct local on-site surveys inspecified areas and how to summarize the local survey results in a widearea, and these features find wide application elsewhere. Incidentally,when information related to responses received by the second wirelesscommunication means is transmitted to an external server by the firstwireless communication means as described above, such information doesnot necessarily have to be processed before transmission; instead,received raw information may be directly transmitted, and many otherspecific methods of implementation is possible. What is important isthat information related to responses received by the second wirelesscommunication means is eventually transmitted to an external server thatprocesses it.

According to a specific feature of the above invention, a receptioncontrol portion is provided that receives information to be transmittedby the information transmission portion from an external server by thefirst wireless communication means. Responses to informationtransmission are eventually processed by an external server. Thus, thisconfiguration makes it possible to start a series of informationexchanges from an external server. This makes it possible to realize aninformation exchanging apparatus useful in wide-area informationexchange as in surveys beyond the communication range of the secondwireless communication means.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: first wireless communication means for receivinginformation to be transmitted to an outside communication apparatus froma wide-area server; second wireless communication means separatetherefrom; an information transmission portion that transmits theinformation received by the first wireless communication means to aplurality of outside communication apparatuses by the second wirelesscommunication means; a response processing portion that processesresponses received, with respect to the information transmission, from aplurality of outside communication apparatuses by the second wirelesscommunication means; and a distribution portion that distributes aprocessing result to a plurality of outside communication apparatuses bythe second wireless communication means.

This feature of the invention—information to be transmitted by theinformation transmission portion is received from an external server bythe first wireless communication means—is not limited to cases whereinformation processing is performed by an external server, but is alsouseful in cases where responses are processed by the informationexchanging apparatus itself. Participation in information exchange canbe accomplished with an easy operation, because it simply involvesresponding to information transmission already performed by someone; bycontrast, creating information transmission from scratch to solicitresponses from others is not easy. In this case, if informationtransmission can be done by selection of one among several items on anexisting menu, or if there is an existing template and one has only toinput contents to it, information transmission is extremely easy. Theabove feature makes it possible to receive such existing information,existing templates, etc. from an external server, and thus contributesto facilitating information transmission.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: first wireless communication means thatcommunicates with an outside communication apparatus; a second wirelesscommunication means separate therefrom; an information transmissionportion that performs information transmission to a plurality of outsidecommunication apparatuses by the second wireless communication means; aresponse processing portion that processes responses received, withrespect to the information transmission, from a plurality of outsidecommunication apparatuses by the second wireless communication means; adistribution portion that distributes a processing result to a pluralityof outside communication apparatuses by the second wirelesscommunication means; and a reception control portion that receivesprocessing means for processing information of the informationtransmission portion from an external server by the first wirelesscommunication means. Needs for information exchange are varied. Theabove features make it easy to receive processing means, such assoftware executing processing needed to conduct information exchange,from an external server. These features of the aboveinvention—processing means is acquired by the first wirelesscommunication means and the processing by the processing means isexecuted by the second wireless communication means—permit a singleinformation exchanging apparatus to be provided with two types ofwireless communication means and permit it to use them separately forthe acquisition of processing means and for the execution of itsprocessing. This contributes to making information exchange versatileand easy.

Second, in conventional information exchanging apparatuses, informationexchange functions have not yet become common as functions that can beeasily used like those, such as games, executed within cellular phonesthemselves.

In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide aninformation exchanging apparatus that permits easier informationexchange; another object of the invention is to provide an informationexchanging apparatus that permits, in particular, easy informationtransmission.

To achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the invention,an information exchanging apparatus comprises: communicating means thatcommunicates with an outside communication apparatus; an informationtransmission portion that transmits, to an outside communicationapparatus by the communicating means, a plurality of informationidentification signals and information contents assigned respectively tothose information identification signals; a response processing portionthat processes information identification signals received, in responseto the information transmission, from an outside communication apparatusby the communicating means; and a distribution portion that distributesa result of processing of information identification signals by theresponse processing portion to an outside communication apparatus by thecommunicating means.

With the above configuration, information contents are dealt with in aform assigned to information identification signals, and this makes itpossible to perform information transmission, to respond to them, and toprocess responses based on the information identification signals. Thus,simply assigning information contents to information identificationsignals makes it possible to deal with information in a standardizedfashion irrespective of information contents.

Participation in information exchange can be accomplished with an easyoperation, because it simply involves responding to informationtransmission already performed by someone; by contrast, preparinginformation transmission from scratch to solicit responses from othersis not easy. In this case, with a configuration as described above wherea framework for dealing with information is previously prepared and whatis additionally required is simply to assign information contents to it,it is extremely easy to perform information transmission.

According to a specific feature of the invention, the informationtransmission portion transmits an identification signal of a query,query contents information assigned to it, identification signals of aplurality of options as responses to the query, and a plurality of setsof option contents information assigned respectively to them. This makesit possible to conduct information exchange easily in a versatile formof a query accompanied with a plurality of response options.

According to another specific feature of the invention, an informationtransmission manipulation portion is provided that permits alteration ofthe information contents assigned respectively to a plurality ofinformation identification signals. This makes it possible to assigndesired information contents to information identification signals.

According to another specific feature of the invention, a responsemanipulation portion is provided that responds to a plurality ofinformation identification signals and the information contents assignedrespectively to them received from an outside communication apparatus bythe communicating means and that transmits information identificationsignals by the communicating means.

According to a more specific feature of the invention, the responsemanipulation portion responds to an identification signal of a query,query contents information assigned to it, identification signals of aplurality of options as responses to the query, and a plurality of setsof option contents information assigned respectively to them receivedfrom outside by the communicating means, and selects the identificationsignal of an option by the communicating means.

With a configuration as described above where it is possible not only toperform information transmission but also to respond to receivedinformation, it is possible to conduct information exchange freely withan outside communication apparatus.

According to another specific feature of the invention, a displayportion is provided that displays a processing result received from anoutside communication apparatus by the communicating means. According toa more specific feature of the invention, the display portion can alsodisplay information of the information transmission portion. This makesinformation transmission easier.

According to another specific feature of the invention, processing meansfor processing information of the information transmission portion isshared with an outside communication apparatus. This helps standardizethe part dealing with information unrelated to information contents, andmakes information exchange smooth; it also helps limit information to beexchanged to specific, unshared information, and makes informationexchange easy.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: communicating means that communicates with anoutside communication apparatus; an information reception portion thatreceives, from an outside communication apparatus by the communicatingmeans, a plurality of information identification signals and informationcontents assigned respectively to those information identificationsignals; a response manipulation portion that transmits, as responses toreceived information, information identification signals by thecommunicating means; a display portion that receives, from an outsidecommunication apparatus by the communicating means, and displays aresult of processing of information identification signals transmittedas responses; a controlling portion that, on the occasion of display,provides the display portion with, as display information, informationcontents assigned respectively to information identification signalsreceived by the information reception portion.

With this configuration, when a response to received information istransmitted and the result of its processing is received and displayed,the information contents received before the transmission of theresponse are used in the display of the processing result. Thus, evenwhen transmission and reception of a response and a processing resultare performed by means of information identification signals, it ispossible to display the processing result with sufficient informationcontents.

According to a specific feature of the above invention, the informationreception portion receives an identification signal of a query, querycontents information assigned to it, identification signals of aplurality of options as responses to the query, and a plurality of setsof option contents information assigned respectively to them. Accordingto a more specific feature, the response manipulation portion respondsto a plurality of information identification signals and the informationcontents assigned respectively to them received by the informationreception portion, and selects an information identification signal.According to another specific feature, the display portion can displayinformation received by the information reception portion.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: communicating means that communicates with anoutside communication apparatus; an information transmission portionthat transmits, to an outside communication apparatus by thecommunicating means, an identification signal of information shared withthe outside communication apparatus and information the outsidecommunication apparatus does not have; and an information transmissionmanipulation portion that alters information an outside communicationapparatus does not have.

With this configuration, part of information exchange can be conductedon the basis of shared information, and unshared information is alteredby the information transmission manipulation portion. This makesinformation transmission easy.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: communicating means that communicates with anoutside communication apparatus; an information transmission portionthat transmits, to an outside communication apparatus by thecommunicating means, general information common to other information andspecific information associated with the general information; aninformation transmission manipulation portion that alters specificinformation associated with general information; and a display portionthat displays information transmitted by the information transmissionportion.

With this configuration, part of information exchange can be conductedon the basis of general information common to other information, andspecific information associated with such general information is alteredby the information transmission manipulation portion. This makesinformation transmission easy.

According to a specific feature of the above invention, an informationreception portion is provided that receives, by the communicating means,general information common to other information and specific informationassigned to that general information, and the display portion displaysinformation received by the information reception portion. With thisconfiguration, with which it is possible not only to perform informationtransmission but also to deal with received information, it is possibleto conduct information exchange freely with an outside communicationapparatus.

Third, with conventional information exchanging apparatuses, informationexchange needs to be performed under conditions unified among partners,and has not yet become common as functions that can be easily used likethose, such as games, executed on cellular phones themselves.

In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide aninformation exchanging apparatus that permits easier informationexchange; another object of the invention is to provide an informationexchanging apparatus that permits easy unification of conditions forinformation exchange between partners.

To achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the invention,an information exchanging apparatus comprises: a first wirelesscommunication means that has a telephone function portion fortransmitting and receiving voice and that communicates with an outsidecommunication apparatus; a second wireless communication means separatetherefrom; an information exchange portion that conducts informationexchange with an outside communication apparatus by the second wirelesscommunication means; a holding portion that holds control informationneeded in information exchange with an outside communication apparatus;and a control information transfer control portion that transmits thecontrol information to an outside communication apparatus by the secondwireless communication means.

With the above configuration, even when an outside communicationapparatus serving as a partner of information exchange has notdownloaded, for example by the first wireless communication meansrelated to telephone functions, control information needed ininformation exchange, the control information one has can be easilyexported by the second wireless communication means.

According to a specific feature of the invention, the controlinformation transfer control portion can receive, by the second wirelesscommunication means, control information needed in information exchangewith an outside communication apparatus and hold it in the holdingportion. This makes it easy to import, to one's own holding portion,control information that an outside communication apparatus has. Thus itis possible to share control information bidirectionally.

According to another specific feature of the invention, the controlinformation transfer control portion is started in association with apredetermined operation on the information exchanging apparatus. Forexample, in a case where displaying means for displaying controlinformation held in the holding portion is provided, in association withan operation to display control information by the displaying means, thecontrol information transfer control portion is started. Thus, without aspecial operation to share control information, the function for sharingcontrol information is started.

According to another specific feature of the invention, the holdingportion holds an information identification signal that identifies heldcontrol information, and the control information transfer controlportion transmits the information identification signal by secondcommunication means and thereby transfers the control information heldby the holding portion to an outside communication apparatus. Accordingto a more specific feature of the invention, the control informationtransfer control portion can also receive an identification signal thatidentifies control information by second communication means and therebyconfirm the control information an outside communication apparatus has.With these features, it is possible to easily confirm controlinformation each other has. According to a more specific feature of theinvention, in a case where displaying means is provided that displayscontrol information the holding portion holds, the control informationtransfer control portion receives or transmits an identification signalin association with an operation for displaying control information.This makes it possible to confirm control information each other haswithout a special operation.

According to a more specific feature of the above, the controlinformation transfer control portion, when it recognizes that no controlinformation corresponding to a received identification signal is held inthe holding portion, receives the corresponding control information froman outside communication apparatus by the second communication means andmakes the holding portion hold it. This makes it possible to make upmissing control information easily.

In the foregoing, control information needed in information exchangewith an outside communication apparatus includes control informationthat can be shared among a plurality of types of information exchange,control information dedicated to particular information exchange,information format information used in information exchange, improvementinformation of any already mentioned, etc., and the holding portionholds at least one of these kinds of information.

According to another specific feature of the invention, the controlinformation transfer control portion can also receive, by the firstwireless communication means, control information needed in informationexchange with an outside communication apparatus by the informationexchange portion and make the holding portion hold it.

Specifically, the control information transfer control portion receives,by the first wireless communication means, control information thatcannot be received by the second wireless communication means, and makesthe holding portion hold it. Moreover, the control information transfercontrol portion receives, by the first wireless communication means,control information an outside communication apparatus does not hold,and makes the holding portion hold it. Furthermore, the controlinformation transfer control portion, after receiving controlinformation receivable by the second wireless communication means,receives control information by the first wireless communication means.In this way, through appropriate use of the first and second wirelesscommunication means, whenever any information exchanging apparatusacquires control information by the first wireless communication means,it can be easily circulated to another information exchanging apparatusby the second wireless communication means.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: first wireless communication means that has atelephone function portion for transmission and reception of voice andthat communicates with an outside communication apparatus; secondwireless communication means separate therefrom; an information exchangeportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the second wireless communication means; a controlinformation transfer control portion that receives, by the secondwireless communication means, control information needed in informationexchange with an outside communication apparatus by the informationexchange portion; and a holding portion that holds control informationreceived by the control information transfer control portion.

With the above configuration, even when control information needed ininformation exchange has not been downloaded, for example, by the firstwireless communication means related to telephone functions, controlinformation that an outside communication apparatus has already acquiredcan be easily imported to one's own holding portion by the secondwireless communication means.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange portion thatconducts information exchange with an outside communication apparatus bythe wireless communication means; a holding portion that holds controlinformation needed in information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus and an information identification signal that identifies thecontrol information; and a control information transfer control portionthat transmits, by the wireless communication means, the identificationsignal held by the holding portion to an outside communicationapparatus.

With the above configuration, control information that one has can beeasily transferred to an outside communication apparatus. According to amore specific feature, in response to transmission of such aninformation identification signal, the control information transfercontrol portion transmits, to an outside communication apparatus by thewireless communication means, control information corresponding to theidentification signal specified from the outside communication apparatusvia the wireless communication means. This makes it possible totransmit, first, all identification information that may be needed by anoutside communication apparatus and then transmit, out of thatinformation, only the control information corresponding to theidentification signal specified by the outside communication apparatusto the outside communication apparatus by the wireless communicationmeans. This makes it possible to share control signals efficiently.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange portion thatconducts information exchange with an outside communication apparatus bythe wireless communication means; a holding portion that holds controlinformation needed in information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus; and a control information transfer control portion thatreceives, from an outside communication apparatus by the wirelesscommunication means, an information identification signal thatidentifies control information.

With the above configuration, control information held by an outsidecommunication apparatus can be easily confirmed. According to a morespecific feature, the control information transfer control portionselects, from identification signals received from an outsidecommunication apparatus by the wireless communication means, a desiredone and transmits it to the outside communication apparatus by thewireless communication means. This makes it possible to select desiredcontrol information and to request its transmission from an outsidecommunication apparatus.

According to a more specific feature, the control information transfercontrol portion can, as specified by an identification signal, receivecontrol information corresponding to it from an outside communicationapparatus and make the holding portion hold it. This helps realizeefficient acquisition of control information.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus in connection with transmission ofcontrol information; an information exchange portion that conductsinformation exchange with an outside communication apparatus by thewireless communication means; a holding portion that holds controlinformation needed in information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus; and a control information transfer control portion thattransmits, in connection with a predetermined operation, informationrelated to held control information to an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means.

On the other hand, according to another aspect of the invention, aninformation exchanging apparatus comprises: wireless communication meansthat communicates with an outside communication apparatus in connectionwith reception of control information; an information exchange portionthat conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; a control informationtransfer control portion that receives, in connection with apredetermined operation, control information needed in informationexchange with an outside communication apparatus; and a holding portionthat holds the received control information.

With either of the above, without a special operation to share controlinformation, the function for sharing control information is started.According to the above specific feature, in a case where displayingmeans is provided that displays control information held in the holdingportion, the control information transfer control portion operates inassociation with an operation to display control information by thedisplaying means. Thus, the function for sharing control information isstarted naturally to accompany the operation to confirm controlinformation by the displaying means.

Fourth, in conventional information exchanging apparatuses, informationexchange absolutely needs a partner, and this inevitably complicates theconditions for using relevant functions. Thus, such functions have notyet become common as functions that can be easily used like those, suchas games, executed on cellular phones themselves.

In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide aninformation exchanging apparatus that a user can use easily withoutconfusion.

To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the invention,an information exchanging apparatus comprises: an information exchangefunction portion that conducts information exchange with an outsidecommunication apparatus by wireless communication means thatcommunicates with the outside communication apparatus; an internalfunction portion; a function selection manipulation portion that choosesbetween a function of the information exchange function portion and afunction of the internal function portion; judging means that judgeswhether or not a condition for making the information exchange functionportion function is fulfilled; and a control portion that, when thejudging means cannot find that the condition is fulfilled, disablesselection of the information exchange function portion by the functionselection manipulation portion.

This helps prevent the user becoming confused as a result of selectingthe information exchange function portion by the function selectionportion when no condition permitting the functioning of the informationexchange function portion is fulfilled. Specifically, even a user havingno knowledge of a condition for accomplishing an information exchangefunction can use the information exchanging apparatus, and it ispossible to prevent the user from recognizing, when he has chosen aninformation exchange function but it does not function, the failure as afault.

According to a specific feature of the invention, the judging means hasconfirming means that confirms presence of an outside communicationapparatus with which communication is possible by the wirelesscommunication means, and, when the confirming means cannot confirmpresence of an outside communication apparatus, selection of theinformation exchange function portion by the function selectionmanipulation portion is disabled. This helps prevent an unreasonableoperation of choosing the function of the information exchange portiondespite absence of a communicable outside communication apparatus.

According to another specific feature of the invention, the judgingmeans has grasping means that grasps the number of outside communicationapparatuses with which communication is possible by the wirelesscommunication means, and, when the grasping means cannot grasp a numberof communicable outside communication apparatuses equal to or greaterthan a predetermined number, selection of the information exchangefunction portion by the function selection manipulation portion isdisabled. This helps prevent an unreasonable operation of choosing, whenthe number of outside communication apparatuses present is less than thepredetermined number, an information exchange function that cannot beaccomplished when that condition is not fulfilled.

According to another specific feature of the invention, the judgingmeans has evaluating means that evaluates whether or not the number ofoutside communication apparatuses with which communication is possibleby the wireless communication means is stable, and, when the evaluatingmeans cannot recognize that the number of communicable outsidecommunication apparatuses is stable, selection of the informationexchange function portion by the function selection manipulation portionis disabled. This helps prevent an unreasonable operation of choosing,when the number of communicable outside communication apparatuses isstable, an information exchange function that cannot be accomplishedwhen that condition is not fulfilled.

According to another specific feature of the above invention, thefunction selection manipulation portion has a display portion thatdisplays selectable functions, and control is performed such that, whenthe judging means cannot recognize fulfillment of the condition, nodisplay related to a function of the information exchange functionportion is made on the display. This helps prevent unreasonableselection.

According to yet another specific feature of the invention, when theinternal function portion is functioning, if the judging meansrecognizes that the condition permitting the functioning of theinformation exchange function portion is fulfilled, the control portionenables selection of the information exchange function portion by thefunction selection manipulation portion. This helps minimize therestriction on selection.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange functionportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; an information receptionportion that receives information related to an information exchangefunction from an outside communication apparatus by the wirelesscommunication means; and a display portion that displays a functionpossible by the function selection portion based on information receivedby the information reception portion. This makes it possible to graspinformation related to the information exchange function portionoutside.

According to another specific feature of the above invention, thedisplay portion displays an information exchange function currentlybeing executed by an outside communication apparatus based oninformation received by the information reception portion. This makes itpossible to grasp how information exchange is currently being conductedoutside and to participate in it.

According to another specific feature of the invention, judging means isprovided that judges whether or not a condition permitting thefunctioning of the information exchange function portion is fulfilled,and the display portion, based on information from the judging means,displays a function possible by the information exchange functionportion distinguishably from an information exchange function currentlybeing executed. This makes it possible to distinguish whether or not aninformation exchange function is possible and whether or not informationexchange is actually being conducted outside by use of that function;thus, for example, based on the former it is possible to proposeinformation exchange to outside and, based on the latter, it is possibleto participate in information exchange currently being conducted.

According to yet another specific feature of the invention, the displayportion displays, based on information received by the informationreception portion, information related to an information exchangefunction currently being conducted, such as information related to acondition that permits the use of the information exchange function andinformation related to the number of outside communication apparatusesusing the information exchange function. Such information can beconsulted in deciding whether or not to participate in informationexchange currently being conducted.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange functionportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; an information exchangeproposal portion that, by the wireless communication means, transmitsinformation exchange to an outside communication apparatus and receivesa response to it; and a notification portion that, based on the responsereceived by the information exchange proposal portion, notifies theoutside communication apparatus that has responded of a start ofinformation exchange by the wireless communication means. This makes itpossible to propose information exchange to outside and start it.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange functionportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; a function selectionmanipulation portion that chooses between an existing informationexchange function and an information exchange function that requires newinformation; and an input manipulation portion that permits input ofinformation required by the information exchange function that requiresnew information. This makes versatile information exchange possible,permitting easy information exchange by use of an existing informationexchange function, and in addition permitting, if so desired,information exchange based on free input of information.

According to a specific feature of the invention, the informationexchanging apparatus configured as described above further has: atelephone function portion for transmitting and receiving voice; andwireless telephone communication means that is separate from thewireless communication means that communicates with an outsidecommunication apparatus based on the telephone function portion. Thispermits an information exchanging apparatus according to the inventionto be used as an ordinary cellular phone, and makes it possible toconduct various kinds of information exchange as mentioned above.

According to a specific feature of the above invention, the informationexchange function portion can communicate with an outside communicationapparatus also by the wireless telephone communication means, and has afunction selection manipulation portion that chooses between aninformation exchange function by the wireless communication means aloneand an information exchange function by use of both the wirelesscommunication means and the wireless telephone communication means. Thismakes versatile information exchange possible.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange functionportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; a function selectionmanipulation portion that chooses between an information exchangefunction that involves simple observation of progress of informationexchange and an information exchange function that involvesparticipation in progress of information exchange; and a display portionthat displays the progress of information exchange. This makes itpossible to participate in versatile information exchange.

According to a specific feature of the above invention, depending on theselection by the function selection manipulation portion, the displayportion displays the progress of information exchange differently. Thismakes it possible to display the progress of information exchangesuitably in the case of observation alone and also suitably in the caseof participation. For example, in the case of participation, one's ownaction affects the progress; thus, by intentionally delaying the displayof the progress, it is possible to increase the pleasure of informationexchange.

According to another specific feature of the above invention, a controlportion is provided that disables selection by the function selectionmanipulation portion according to the progress of information exchange.This helps prevent confusion as by prohibiting new participation onceinformation exchange has progressed to a certain degree.

Fifth, in conventional information exchanging apparatuses, compared withfunctions, such as games, that can be executed on cellular phonesthemselves, information exchange with a partner involves complicatedinformation, and there has been room for various improvements in termsof display.

In view of the above, an object of the invention is to provide aninformation exchanging apparatus that enhances the significance ofinformation exchange with well-designed display.

To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the invention,an information exchanging apparatus comprises: wireless communicationmeans that communicates with an outside communication apparatus; aninformation exchange function portion that conducts information exchangewith an outside communication apparatus by the wireless communicationmeans; a display portion that present display based on informationexchange; and a display control portion that makes the display on thedisplay portion different depending on whether or not informationcollection by the information exchange function portion has beencompleted or not. This makes it possible to present, in the middle ofinformation exchange, display different from the display of a result ofinformation exchange, and helps increase the pleasure of a game or thelike in which in-progress reports can be enjoyed.

According to a specific feature of the invention, until informationcollection by the information exchange function portion is completed, arestriction is placed on display of information. More specifically,until information collection is completed, the display of information bythe display portion is delayed. Alternatively, the display ofinformation by the display portion is executed conditionally; forexample, until information collection is completed, no display ispresented unless a predetermined condition is fulfilled as when aturning point of a game is reached. By intentionally restricting theinformation of in-progress results in this way, it is possible toincrease the pleasure of guessing others' trend when one isparticipating in a game or the like involving a large number of people.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange functionportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; a display portion thatpresents display based on information exchange; a display controlportion that controls display; and a selection manipulation portion thatchooses whether or not to make the display control portion restrictdisplay of information. This makes it possible to restrict display ofinformation as desired, and makes it possible to adapt informationexchange in a game or the like accordingly.

According to a specific feature of the above invention, when theselection manipulation portion chooses to restrict display ofinformation, the display control portion delays display of information.According to another specific feature, when the selection manipulationportion chooses to restrict display of information, the display controlportion puts a condition on display of information.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange functionportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; a display portion thatpresents display based on information exchange; a selection manipulationportion that chooses whether to offer information or simply receive aresult of information exchange in information exchange by theinformation exchange function portion; and a display control portionthat makes the display on the display portion different based on thechoice by the selection manipulation portion.

For example, when the selection manipulation portion chooses to offerinformation, it becomes possible to make a setting to delay the displayof information by the display portion. Alternatively, when the selectionmanipulation portion chooses to offer information, it becomes possibleto make a setting to put a condition on display of information. Withthese features, for example in a case where one participates in a game,if he chooses to offer information to participate in its progress, arestriction can be placed on display to increase the pleasure of, forexample, guessing others' trend; if he chooses to simply receive resultsof information exchange in participating the game, he can observe itsprogress on a real-time basis. In this way, it is possible to makevarious settings in terms of display.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates withan outside communication apparatus; an information exchange functionportion that conducts information exchange with an outside communicationapparatus by the wireless communication means; a display portion thatpresents display based on information exchange; and a display controlportion that varies a relationship between execution of informationexchange by the information exchange function portion and execution ofinformation display by the display portion.

According to a specific feature of the above invention, afterinformation exchange by the information exchange function portion isexecuted, the display control portion delays execution of informationdisplay by the display portion. According to another specific feature ofthe above invention, even when information exchange by the informationexchange function portion is executed, unless a predetermined conditionis fulfilled, the display control portion suspends execution ofinformation display by the display portion. In this way, by varying therelationship between execution of information exchange by theinformation exchange function portion and execution of informationdisplay by the display portion, it is possible to increase the pleasureof information exchange.

According to another aspect of the invention, an information exchangingapparatus comprises: wireless communication means that communicates witha plurality of outside communication apparatuses; an informationexchange function portion that conducts information exchange with anoutside communication apparatus by the wireless communication means; anda wireless communication control portion that varies the manner in whichinformation exchange is conducted with the plurality of outsidecommunication apparatuses depending on whether, in information exchange,the plurality of outside communication apparatuses are unidentified oridentified.

For example, the wireless communication control portion so controlsthat, when the plurality of outside communication apparatuses areunidentified, the information exchange function portion conductsinformation exchange on a first-access-first-served basis and, when theplurality of outside communication apparatuses are identified, theinformation exchange function portion conducts information exchange inpredetermined allocated time zones. For example in this way, by varyingthe manner in which information exchange is conducted with the pluralityof outside communication apparatuses depending on whether, ininformation exchange, the plurality of outside communication apparatusesare unidentified or identified, it is possible to conduct optimalinformation exchange with a plurality of outside communicationapparatuses in a manner that suits the situation.

According to a specific feature of the invention, the informationexchanging apparatus configured as described above further has: atelephone function portion for transmitting and receiving voice; andwireless telephone communication means that is separate from thewireless communication means that communicates with an outsidecommunication apparatus based on the telephone function portion. Thispermits an information exchanging apparatus according to the inventionto be used as an ordinary cellular phone, and makes it possible toconduct various kinds of information exchange as mentioned above.

In the embodiments described above, the invention has been described tobe an apparatus that offers a GUI realized by a display portion and amanipulation portion and that can attempt to collect responseinformation through easy transmission of information achieved by inputof queries and options to templates displayed on the display portion.Moreover, when distributing results of processing of collected responseinformation to respondents, it is possible to use, as layouts fordisplaying processing results, existing ones such as graphs.

This, however, is in no way meant to limit how the invention isimplemented. For example, information identification signals are notlimited to IDs that specify existing templates and existing displaylayouts as in the embodiments; instead, it is possible to adopt any ofvarious information identification signals to which information contentscan be assigned. Although the embodiments describe, as an example ofinformation shared with an outside communication apparatus and asgeneral information common to other information, previously preparedtemplates and display layouts, this is in no way meant to limit how theinvention is implemented. The invention can be implemented with any ofvarious combinations between information shared with an outsideapparatus and information an outside apparatus does not have, or withany of various kinds of association of specific information with generalinformation.

While the present invention has been described with respect to preferredembodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that thedisclosed invention may be modified in numerous ways and may assume manyembodiments other than those specifically set out and described above.Accordingly, it is intended by the appended claims to cover allmodifications of the present invention which fall within the true spiritand scope of the invention.

1. An information exchanging apparatus capable of exchanging informationwith a plurality of outside apparatuses comprising: a first wirelesscommunicator including a telephone transmitter and telephone receiverfor wireless telephone communication with one of the outsideapparatuses; a second wireless communicator other than the firstwireless communicator; a transmitter arranged to transmit originalinformation to the plurality of outside apparatuses through the secondwireless communicator; a processor arranged to process responseinformation from the plurality of outside apparatuses to be receivedthrough the second wireless communicator in response to the originalinformation; and a distributor arranged to distribute result informationfrom the processor to the plurality of outside apparatuses through thesecond wireless communicator.
 2. The information exchanging apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising a controller arranged totransmit through the first wireless communicator information relating tothe response information to an outside apparatus capable of synthesizingthe transmitted information and to receive through the first wirelesscommunicator the synthesized information from the outside apparatus,wherein the distributor is further arranged to distribute thesynthesized information to the other of plurality of outside apparatusesthrough the second wireless communicator.
 3. The information exchangingapparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information relating to theresponse information is the result information from the processor. 4.The information exchanging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theinformation related to the response information is the responseinformation as it is.
 5. The information exchanging apparatus accordingto claim 1, further comprising a controller arranged to receive theoriginal information from an outside apparatus through the firstwireless communicator.
 6. The information exchanging apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein the original information includes a first partshared with the outside apparatuses and a second part optionallydeterminable in relation to the first part, and wherein the informationexchanging apparatus further comprises a manipulation part arranged todetermine the second part of the original information and a displayarranged to display the first part and second part of the originalinformation.
 7. The information exchanging apparatus according to claim1, wherein the original information includes a query part and a set ofprepared options part responsive to the query part.
 8. The informationexchanging apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a selectorarranged to select the transmitter to function, a judging unit arrangedto judge whether or not a condition is fulfilled for the function of thetransmitter, and a controller arranged to make the selector impossibleto select the transmitter with the judging part judging that thecondition is not fulfilled.
 9. An information exchanging apparatuscapable of exchanging information with a plurality of outsideapparatuses comprising: a wireless communicator; a transmitter arrangedto transmit original information to the plurality of outside apparatusesthrough the wireless communicator, the original information including afirst part shared with the outside apparatuses and a second partoptionally determinable in relation to the first part; a manipulationpart arranged to determine the second part of the original information;and a display arranged to display the first part and second part of theoriginal information.
 10. The information exchanging apparatus accordingto claim 9 further comprising another wireless communicator including atelephone transmitter and telephone receiver for wireless telephonecommunication with one of the outside apparatuses, wherein the firstmentioned wireless communicator is other than the second mentionedwireless communicator.
 11. The information exchanging apparatusaccording to claim 9 wherein the first part including an identificationof the original information and the second part including contents ofthe original information.
 12. The information exchanging apparatusaccording to claim 9, wherein the original information includes a querypart and a set of prepared options part responsive to the query part.13. The information exchanging apparatus according to claim 12 furthercomprising a processor arranged to process the options part underselection by the plurality of outside apparatuses to be received throughthe wireless communicator in response to the query part and adistributor arranged to distribute result information from the processorto the plurality of outside apparatuses through the wirelesscommunicator.
 14. The information exchanging apparatus according toclaim 13, wherein the query part and the options part each includes thefirst part including an identification of the original information andthe second part including contents of the original information.
 15. Theinformation exchanging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein theprocessor is arranged to process the options part by means of the firstpart including the identification to be received through the wirelesscommunicator.
 16. An information exchanging apparatus capable ofexchanging information with a plurality of outside apparatusescomprising: a wireless communicator; an information exchanging unitarranged to exchange information with the plurality of outsideapparatuses through the wireless communicator,; a selector arranged toselect the information exchanging unit to function; a judging unitarranged to judge whether or not a condition is fulfilled for thefunction of the information exchanging unit, and a controller arrangedto make the selector impossible to select the information exchangingunit with the judging part judging that the condition is not fulfilled.17. The information exchanging apparatus according to claim 16, whereinthe condition is the existence of at least one of the outsideapparatuses capable of exchanging information.
 18. The informationexchanging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the condition is thenumber of the outside apparatuses capable of exchanging information. 19.The information exchanging apparatus according to claim 18, wherein thecondition is the number of the outside apparatuses capable of exchanginginformation is stable.
 20. The information exchanging apparatusaccording to claim 16, wherein the condition is the existence of atleast one of the outside apparatuses consenting to the informationexchange.